NEWPORT (June 19, 2017) – The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents America’s plastics makers, is hosting a two-day multi-stakeholder dialogue that brings together industry, government and environmental groups to hear different perspectives on preventing and addressing marine litter. ACC issued the following statement, which may be attributed to Steve Russell, vice president of ACC’s Plastics Division:
“We look forward to holding this Marine Debris Dialogue and to hearing from a range of different perspectives on understanding and solving the complex problem of ocean trash. We are honored to have leading experts from government, environmental NGOs, and private sector innovators offering to share, listen and learn from each other.
"Plastics makers fully agree that plastics don’t belong in our oceans, and solving marine litter demands our passion, our commitment, our best minds, and most of all, our cooperation.
"Today, we look forward to hearing from many speakers from the environmental community, including Algalita Marine Research and Education, As You Sow, Keep America Beautiful, Ocean Conservancy, The 5 Gyres Institute, Upstream, World Animal Protection, World Wildlife Federation, and others. We’re also pleased to welcome participants from Clean Water Access and The Story of Stuff. We’re certain their passion and perspectives will help inform, inspire and shape the future we all seek – cleaner, healthier oceans.
"In 2011, ACC helped to found the Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter, a worldwide commitment to help protect our oceans that has grown to 70 plastics associations from 35 countries. Together, the world’s plastics associations have undertaken more than 260 projects worldwide to reduce marine litter. We know there’s much more to be done, and our efforts to improve materials management in the U.S. and around the world will continue.”