Don't Miss The Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit

The Re|focus Zone stems from the sustainability-focused Zero Waste Zone that was introduced by PLASTICS at NPE2015. This year it features 56 exhibitors that will explore actionable steps toward incorporating sustainable practices into plastics manufacturing. The 2018 Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit (Tuesday, May 8 – Thursday, May 10) is co-located with the expanded Re|focus Zone. Oliver Campbell, director of worldwide procurement & packaging at Dell Technologies, headlines the summit where he will deliver the keynote presentation on Tuesday at 1:30-3:00 p.m., “Using Dell Innovation and Supply Chain to Tackle Ocean Plastic,” about how Dell developed and launched a program to create a commercially scalable supply of plastics recovered from the ocean that can be used in product packaging.

In addition to the keynote, the three-day summit will feature five other educational sessions that will provide practical steps companies can take to achieve their recycling and sustainability goals. The sessions are:

Tuesday

Recycling Game Changer: Moving Beyond Mechanical Recycling, 3:15-4:45 p.m.: This will explore cutting-edge technologies that are expanding the boundaries of traditional recycling and allowing the industry to profitably use more recycled materials. It will be moderated by Robert Render, commercial manager at Ravago Recycling Group and feature John Layman of P&G and PureCycle Technologies, Joe Vaillancourt of Agilyx.

Wednesday

Advances in Composite Recycling, 1:15-2:45 p.m.: This will feature the leading successes in the world of recycling composite materials, which may eventually be one of the most valuable recycled feedstreams available. The session will be moderated by Chris Surbrook, new business development at Midland Compounding Co. and feature Mark Janney of Carbon Conversions Inc. and Brian Pillay of University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Under One Roof: Investing in Onsite Plastic Reprocessing at MRFs, 3:15-4:45 p.m.: The session uncovers the steps to upgrade and enhance plastic reprocessing capabilities at material recovery facilities (MRFs) in order to keep up with rapidly-changing global markets. It’s to be moderated by Jim Keefe, executive vice president & group publisher at Recycling Today Media Group and feature Martin Baumann of Erema North America; Daniel Reshef of Urban Resource Group.

Thursday

Biobased Bioplastic Polymers and the Future of Bottling, 9:00-10:30 a.m.: This session will highlight recent trends in the booming bioplastics industry, including new polymers, products and production techniques. It will be moderated by Patrick Krieger, assistant director, Regulatory and Technical Affairs at PLASTICS; and feature Michael A. Saltzberg, PhD, of DuPont Industrial Biosciences; John Bissell of Origin Materials; and Jose Augusto Viveiro of Braskem.

Additives for Upcycling, Thursday, 10:45 AM – 12:15 p.m.: This session will explore the latest in additive compounding, which has the potential to turn recycled plastics back into materials with near-virgin properties. It is scheduled to be moderated by Mark Richardson, engineering consultant at Series One and feature Salvatore Monte of Kenrich Petrochemicals Inc.; Prem Patel of Milliken & Co.; and Timothy Dean of ExxonMobil Chemical Co.

“The speakers at the Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit are pioneers in sustainability and are poised to lead the plastics industry to new heights,” says PLASTICS vice president of sustainability, Kim Holmes. “Their insights, coupled with the education-in-action on the show floor in the Re|focus Zone, will help attendees realize and reach their sustainability goals.”

Something new to look for in the Re|focus Zone is the Sustainability Lounge, a space to learn about PLASTICS and how companies can get involved in the sustainable initiatives they offer. There will also be meeting spaces, demonstrations and a cash bar in this area for attendees.