Ep. 430: How We Can Save Plastic

Guest: Bob Masterson, President and CEO of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Plastics are ubiquitous.

You can’t go anywhere without them. Your kitchen, for example, is filled with them and most likely you don’t realize how much a part of your life they are. Turn on a light switch – the switch, the face plate, the coating around the wires are all made from plastic. Turn on the tap and drain the sink, and it is plastic that delivers the water and takes it away. Not to mention, all of the wraps on foods that are in your fridge or pantry. And then there are the drink containers and sauces.

Bob Masterson, the President and CEO of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada says, “The overwhelming majority of plastic products last for decades because they were designed that way.” He also says, “Far too much plastic waste ends up in landfills and as litter and in water – and the industry is committed to reducing that waste.”

The industry association has launched a campaign working with producers, recyclers and organizations to repurpose plastic called “Save Plastic.” Masterson says, “It is a call to action – a call for a meaningful change.” He goes on to say, “Almost $8 billions’ worth of plastic waste is sent to landfills – waste that can be recuperated.”

We invited Bob Masterson of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada to join us for a Conversation That Matters about turning plastics into a renewable resource.