11th Global Plasticity Forum, Plasticity Pacific Opens Today

The discussion on practical business solutions to get plastics out of the environment and re-purposed is coming to Fiji.

The 11th Global Plasticity Forum, Plasticity Pacific, will be held today at the Grand Pacific Hotel, Suva.

Organising the event is recognised UN climate hero and founder of Plasticity Forum, founder Doug Woodring, and Plasticity director Trish Hyde.

Eight million tonnes of plastic waste enter the world’s ocean every year, causing an estimated US$13 billion (about F$27.7b) worth of damage to the ecosystem.

This plastic pollution threatens the tourism industry, which accounts for more than 40 per cent of the GDP of some South Pacific Island Nations and Territories.

“This is not a cleanup campaign. Plasticity speaks directly to the business world, introducing practical sustainability models, and showcasing new business opportunities for transforming plastic waste into valuable second-life resources,” Mr Woodring said.

Plasticity was launched in 2012 at the Rio +20 Earth Summit, and has been hosted in Hong Kong, New York, Lisbon, Shanghai, London, Dallas, Los Angeles, Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.

“Delegates come away with a profound understanding of the scale of opportunities that this problem presents. That’s when people get really excited,” he said.

“The key to our success is collaboration. Plasticity brings together key stakeholders from all aspects of the value chain - innovators, designers, entrepreneurs, large companies- and gives them the opportunity to take part in the larger global conversation about waste management and resource recovery,” said Mr Woodring.

Ms Hyde said: “Plasticity’s forward–thinking and business-focussed workshops are already generating exciting business opportunities, instead of just relying on government regulation and consumer and community education and action.

“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue. Its damage has social and economic impacts capable of crippling the vital Pacific tourism and fishing industries.

“But we can prevent this, with smart collaborative business and government partnerships. Plasticity Pacific is the forum for this solutions-based discussion,” she said.

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