Last week the initial Executive Committee of the World Plastics Council (WPC) held its first meeting in Shanghai, China, and developed the proposed framework for membership, governance and priorities for the new organization. At that meeting the Executive Committee agreed that the WPC will be the global forum for industry leadership and to accelerate cooperation and alignment that will deliver improved outcomes for the common benefit of the plastics industry, consumers and society. The WPC will be composed of a General Assembly of executives from companies that manufacture or compound plastic resin, with strategic direction provided by a geographically representative Executive Committee.

Last fall top executives of some 50 companies from all parts of the world – including China, Korea, Japan, India, Thailand, the Middle East, North and South America, and Europe – came together during K Fair in Düsseldorf to discuss whether to form a global plastics organization. At that meeting participants appointed an initial Executive Committee and asked it to further develop a first set of priorities and operating guidelines in order to facilitate a united approach for addressing global opportunities and issues facing the industry. The Executive Committee will recommend that the General Assembly take up work on plastic waste management, sustainability, the safe use of plastics and solutions to marine debris.

“Our Executive Committee made great progress and looks forward to reporting back to our colleagues on next steps. I would like to thank the Committee, in particular our hosts from the Chinese Petrochemical and Chemical Industry Federation, whose participation helped to shape the exciting path forward,” said interim WPC Chairman Patrick Thomas (CEO, Bayer MaterialScience).

An official communication and invitation for resin producers to join the WPC will be made during the summer, with a first official meeting of the General Assembly in the 4th quarter at a date and location to be determined.