PLASTICS and ACC Announce Six New Members to Elite Operation Clean Sweep Blue Status

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and American Chemistry Council (ACC) today announced the addition of six new members to Operation Clean Sweep Blue. The elite status is achieved by exceeding rigorous standards set by Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS). OCS is an industry-led campaign dedicated to help every plastic resin handling operation prevent plastic resin loss.

New OCS Blue Designees 

“Operation Clean Sweep Blue helped us take the next step to protect the environment from plastic pellet pollution,” said Mandy Crabtree, Chase Plastics Distribution Center Manager. “All Chase Plastics’ warehouse employees have signed the Operation Clean Sweep pledge, and we hold each other accountable to do our part. We have regular discussions about our OCS Blue program procedures to keep our team engaged, trained, and committed to reducing overall pellet loss.”

“PLASTICS is proud of managing Operation Clean Sweep. Our industry recognizes the importance of ensuring that plastic is manufactured in a way that seeks to eliminate the loss of resin into the environment,” said Patrick Krieger, Senior Director of Materials and Sustainability at PLASTICS. “This requires coordination across the supply chain and dedication to sharing best practices and interventions. OCS Blue reflects a commitment by these organizations to take this a step further seeking to become leaders in this mission. We welcome our newest members to the program and look forward to learning from and with them.”

“America’s plastic makers congratulate the latest companies to achieve OCS Blue status, and we encourage every company that makes or handles plastic pellets to do the same,” said Joshua Baca, ACC’s vice president of plastics. “Plastics are essential to a safer, cleaner, lower-carbon world – and all of us must work together to keep these advanced materials out of the environment.”

The OCS Blue achievement demonstrates these six companies’ commitment to preventing plastic from entering the environment or becoming marine debris. By achieving this elite status, these companies are held to a higher standard to eliminate plastic resin loss by conducting site audits, increasing employee awareness, and improving equipment, processes and procedures at their facilities.

For more than 25 years the plastics industry has promoted Operation Clean Sweep (OCS), a campaign dedicated to helping every plastic resin handling operation prevent plastic resin loss. The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) strongly encourage companies to take their commitment – a pledge committing to OCS principles by plastics companies or plastics employees – to the next level.

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About Plastics Industry Association

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, representing nearly one million workers in the $432 billion U.S. industry. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members and the industry more globally competitive while advancing recycling and sustainability. To learn more about PLASTICS’ education initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, networking opportunities and policy advocacy and the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE: The Plastics Show, visit plasticsindustry.org. Connect with PLASTICS on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

About the American Chemistry Council

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to make innovative products and services that make people's lives better, healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and safety performance through Responsible Care^®; common sense advocacy designed to address major public policy issues; and health and environmental research and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $486 billion enterprise and a key element of the nation's economy. It is among the largest exporters in the nation, accounting for ten percent of all U.S. goods exports. Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to the nation’s critical infrastructure.