In recent years and with increasing frequency, researchers have reported that seabirds, turtles and fish are ingesting a wide variety of plastic items, including pellets, flakes and powder that could affect their ability to breathe, swallow or digest foods properly. Most of these plastics are used in consumer products (e.g., bottles, caps, containers) that have been carelessly discarded.
Some of this litter is in the form of resin pellets, flakes and powder (micro plastics) that enter the waste stream and can end up in the ocean and our natural environment. When these pellets, flakes and powder are accidentally eaten by wildlife, they may not pass through their digestive tracts, which could lead to malnutrition or even starvation.
While consumers are responsible for the proper recycling and disposal of consumer products and packaging, the plastics industry must focus on proper containment of plastic pellets, flakes and powder. We must prevent the pellets, flakes and powder from getting into waterways that eventually lead to the sea.
The Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) program and manual contain guidelines to help plastics industry operations managers reduce the accidental loss of pellets, flakes and powder from the processing facility into the environment.
QCP was founded with a clear belief to do things differently when it comes to plastics by giving them a second life and with that avoiding that they end up in the environment.
Operation Clean Sweep helps QCP employees learn how to properly handle and dispose of plastic pellets, flakes and powder with the goal of zero pellet, flake and powder loss into the environment.
