The Port of Rotterdam Authority supports the fight against plastic pellet pollution

November 3, 2020

During a digital meeting that took place earlier today with PlasticsEurope Netherlands, the plastics manufacturing industry association, Allard Castelein, CEO of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, signed the Operation Clean Sweep® Pledge. Castelein: ‘By signing this pledge, we support companies in their fight against plastic pellet pollution in the Port of Rotterdam. Thanks to their efforts, the port will become cleaner and thus more attractive as a place to live and work.’

Operation Clean Sweep

The Port of Rotterdam has to deal with pollution from plastic pellets scattered along banks and in the water. These plastic pellets are produced by various companies for use as a raw material for the production of all kinds of plastic products. The unintentional loss of the pellets during the production process and transport is currently being addressed by many companies. Josepha van Kollenburg from the sector association, PlasticsEurope Netherlands: ‘With Operation Clean Sweep® we focus on what we as an industry can do directly to prevent pellet loss into the environment. Among other things, we do this by making companies aware of their responsibility, training staff and advising companies in taking measures in their work processes that help prevent pellet loss into the environment. The Port of Rotterdam Authority signing the Pledge further motivates companies that are already actively involved in prevention and encourages other companies to become more active as well.’

The goal is to have zero pellet loss

The ultimate goal is to stop the loss of pellets into the environment. In this quest to achieve ‘zero pellet loss’, the Port of Rotterdam Authority is collaborating with PlasticsEurope and other parties. For example the Port Authority, PlasticsEurope and Ducor Petrochemicals recently organised a digital round table conference on the issue. A large number of companies, governments and non-governmental organisations took part in this conference. One of the results of the conference is that cooperation throughout the chain is necessary to achieve the goal of zero pellet loss and that there is certainly a willingness to do so. A campaign for the clean-up of plastic pellets and plastic litter also took place in the Port of London this summer, which the Port of Rotterdam Authority carried out in collaboration with the companies Ducor and HEBO.

Future

Due to the extra attention for plastic pellet pollution, various parties are currently monitoring a possible rise in new pellets on land or in the water. In addition, efforts are made to take measures to prevent pellet loss.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority and PlasticsEurope are calling on companies that are not yet participating in Operation Clean Sweep® to join. New participants can use the knowledge and experience already acquired, so that they can quickly implement preventive measures to prevent pellet loss.