Month: June 2023

We can’t do it alone. The scale of the challenge is too big – and the stakes are too immense – the issue is too complex – for any one company, one organization or even one country to solve this issue.

Later this month, negotiators from 160 countries will meet in Paris to continue work on creating an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. Called the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), these meetings – which will stretch over the next two years – will play a significant role in shaping how plastics are produced, designed, used, and ultimately managed.

We at Dow – along with many others across industry, governments, and NGOs – support this work and believe such an agreement could help end plastics pollution by accelerating the transition to a circular economy. We all believe in a future where plastics are sustainably produced, designed, used, reused, and recycled, thereby creating new value and greater purpose for plastic waste. In doing so, we will also be able to preserve a critical link in securing a low-carbon economy.

Why Plastic is Important

To understand why these negotiations are so critical, we also need to understand why plastic itself is so important. Without plastic, how would we preserve food and water for people in remote locations? How would we maintain hygiene practices in healthcare?

Plastic not only plays a vital role in life as we know it and our economy, it is also an essential part of our journey toward a low-carbon and circular future. In fact, we can’t deliver a low-carbon future without plastics.

Plastics offer 2x lower greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint than alternative materials such as metal, glass, or paper. Continued growth in line with GDP through 2050 avoids incremental annual GHG emissions of ~1 GT, equivalent to all current air travel globally.Plastics enable innovation in 30% of the global economy across sectors like construction, medical, transportation, and food safety. These plastics are so effective and sustainable, there are very limited substitutes for more than half of these applications.Plastics make quality of life better, particularly throughout the food supply chain.Plastics help lighten vehicle weight. A 10% reduction in the weight of a vehicle can result in a 6-8% increase in fuel economy and extend the range of electric vehicles (EVs).Plastics in the medical industry keep equipment and devices sterile and played a key role in pandemic response.Plastics are integral to manufacturing solar panels, wind blades or EVs.

The Scale of the Challenge

The challenge we all face, however, is how we manage plastics waste. Much of the plastic used around the world goes unrecovered after use and today very little that can be recycled is recycled. North America, for example, has a plastic recycling rate of only 11 percent, the lowest regional recycling rate in the world. China and SE Asia recycle plastics at a 20 percent rate, developed Asia is at 26 percent, and Western Europe is at 32 percent.1

Not all countries are starting their efforts to solve the problem from the same spot. Many developing countries, for instance, are struggling with inadequate recycling infrastructure for ALL materials while others – due to political or economic instability – lack the capacity to enact national policies.

Poorly managed plastic waste not only denies us a valuable recycling resource, but it can also contribute to environmental and ecological challenges.

How We All Win

Many organizations – including Dow – have significantly increased their work to end plastic waste and accelerate a more circular economy. Dow has more than 20 active partnerships, for example, and has deep commitments to help solve this issue and deliver circular economy solutions. As part of our sustainability targets, for instance, we intend to transform the waste to deliver three million metric tons per year of circular and renewable solutions by 2030.

Dow has been innovating solutions to enable packaging recyclability and partnering to build materials ecosystems to increase the value of waste and build new systems to collect, reuse, and recycle waste. This in turn will allow us to scale our ability to produce circular and low-carbon emission solutions.

But we can’t do it alone. The scale of the challenge is too big – the stakes are too immense – the issue is too complex – for any one company, one organization or even one country to solve this issue.

It Takes All of Us

In our view, the world needs an effective and implementable agreement that supports the national implementation of ambitious and realistic targets. A Global Plastics agreement – if constructed well – offers the world a unique opportunity to build a more effective circular economy and stop plastic pollution while also recognizing the valuable role plastic plays in creating a low-carbon future.

An effective agreement would:

Incentivize investments that enhance and improve waste management capabilities – many governments around the world need help developing and funding national waste management plans that would effectively collect, sort, and recycle waste – including plastics – and generally improve municipal solid waste management. National plans should include individual targets, rates and dates, as well as monitoring and progress reports, and should evolve over time.Advance enabling policies and actions to minimize waste and divert more plastics into a circular economy – an effective agreement will harmonize definitions and metrics around the globe, helping countries enact more effective and measurable targets.Recognize essential applications of plastic and its contributions to reducing carbon emissions and achieving the UN SDGs – Dow believes there is a path forward to create a circular economy for plastics and end leakage into the environment, while continuing to preserve the essential benefits this lightweight and efficient material offers, including food waste prevention, sterile vaccine distribution, clean drinking water transportation, energy efficient buildings, solar and wind power generation, and EVs.

We can do this. Working across the value chain – working collaboratively – working in tandem with our many stakeholders – I’m confident we can develop an international agreement that both recognizes the many societal benefits of plastic while also creating a robust future where plastics are sustainably produced, designed, used, reused, and recycled in a circular economy.

Jim Fitterling, Dow Chairman and CEO

1 US EPA, Plastics Europe, Japan Plastic Waste Management Institute, KORA, Australia National Waste Report, China CPRA, Brazil Abiplast, PlastIndia

Leidos has joined the fight against adolescent suicide and depression, a growing public health crisis in America.

Why you should know: May was Mental Health Awareness Month, and many organizations including Leidos were stepping up efforts to make a difference surrounding the teenage mental health crisis.

The data says: According to the most recent data, intentional self-harm is the third-leading cause of death among teenagers, behind only homicide and unintentional injury.

Earlier this year, the CDC published results from its annual Youth Risky Behavior Survey, which showed teen girls and teens who identify as LGBTQ+ are experiencing unprecedented levels of mental distress:

“More than 1 in 4 girls reported they seriously considered attempting suicide in 2021, up significantly from 2011,” the report states. “More than 1 in 10 girls reported they attempted suicide in 2021, also increasing significantly over the decade.””In 2021, almost half of LGBTQ+ students seriously considered attempting suicide, nearly 1 in 4 attempted suicides, and nearly 3 in 14 reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.”

“There is a mental health crisis in America as millions are seeking help,” says Dr. Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Professor of Psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. “The system is overwhelmed with patients having limited options and experiencing long waits in addition to high costs, insufficient insurance coverage and limited information about available services.”

Leidos impact: Leidos supports a number of causes related to teenage depression as part of its Mission for the Mind campaign:

Leidos is a Presenting Sponsor for all four of this year’s National Capital Area Out of the Darkness Walks, hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (ASFP).The company has partnered with EVERFI to bring digital mental health and wellness education to middle school and high school students across West Virginia and Maryland.Leidos supports the Women’s Center, which provides free and reduced cost support for mental health and domestic violence. The Women’s Center recently launched a teenage resiliency program, which over the past year has provided nearly 350 adolescents with nearly 4,000 hours of trauma mental health counseling.Leidos supports GMU’s Center for Psychological Studies which provides accessible mental health services and helps train the next generation of therapists.Leidos supports the National Military Family Association (NMFA) and its Operation Purple Camps designed to help support the mental well-being of military children by giving them a free week of camp to connect with other military kids.

Leidos hosted a number of activities this month in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.

The company hosted a screening and discussion of the new film, “Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness.” Presented by legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, the film explores the challenges of youth mental illness in the U.S. and features stories from more than 20 young people who live with mental health conditions.

Leidos will present “Mission Critical: Prioritizing Mental Health for Military Service Members and their Families,” a panel discussion about the challenges of delivering and accessing mental health resources for military servicemembers and their families.

Most importantly: If you’re having suicidal thoughts, there are people who want to help you. You can speak to someone at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). You can also find help from the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. If you’re a veteran in crisis, please contact the Veterans Crisis Line.

“Remember, you’re not alone,” says Dr. Robyn Mehlenbeck, a clinical psychologist at George Mason. “There’s support available for both teenagers and their families. By prioritizing mental health throughout the year, we can create a more supportive environment for the younger generation, ensuring they receive the care they need.”

Please contact the Leidos media relations team for more information.