Engineering in Society

Article Source: IMechE

This event will bring together engineers, scientists and other professionals from the industry, all who are wanting to make a real difference when it comes to plastic waste.

Early bird ends 24 May 2019

Booking multiple tickets (group discounts available) or on behalf of someone else? Email us

Overview

“Plastic is durable, easily molded, light, hygienic and eminently recyclable. Yet when not recycled its first property becomes a liability to humans, animals and the environment. Engineers play a key role all around the plastic cycle; this seminar is intended to share best practice, current challenges both technical and non-technical and enhance the engineers contribution to society in this field.” 
Rodney Gilmour, Chair, Closing the Plastics Cycle 2019

Do you stop and think about the plastic waste when you are drinking a fizzy drink or eating a bag of crisps? Our environment was not made to manage plastic waste; it is a man-made product for which we must take responsibility; it is simply not acceptable to chuck it into a landfill or the sea. There is good news, in the UK we recover 85% of our HDPE milk bottles, but then what? Would it be better overall to incinerate all our waste and recover the energy? Or pyrolyse waste plastic to fuel?

This unique seminar plans to address the current plastics cycle, along with best practice and new ways of helping to reduce plastic waste.

Attendees will be brought up to date on plastic reduction schemes such as the one introduced by DEFRA at the end of March. Companies such as Coca Cola have joined this bottle deposit scheme and are planning to ensure all its packaging is recyclable and its PET bottles comprise of 50% recycled material by 2025. Tesco are trialling taking back plastic bags and wrappers and working with Recycling Technologies to pyrolyse this waste to fuel.

And, whilst this event will focus on the positives that are being done it will also address some of the greater challenges that countries such as the UK face when it comes to plastic waste and how engineers are leading the way to make a difference.

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Attend this seminar to:

• Help tackle the issue of reducing plastic waste across the whole cycle
• Hear from leading companies that are playing their part
• Review current government policy
• Network with engineers who want to shape a brighter future and reduce plastic waste

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Confirmed speakers include:

• Barry Turner, Plastics and Flexible Packaging, Group Director, British Plastics Federation
• Senior Representative, WRAP
• Richard McKinlay, Head of Circular Economy, Axion

Organising Committee:

Oil, Gas and Chemical Committee, Process Industries Division

Member Credit:

Rodney Gilmour, Member of the Oil, Gas and Chemical Committee, Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Early bird ends 24 May 2019

Booking multiple tickets (group discounts available) or on behalf of someone else? Email us

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Accommodation information

For hotels with preferential rates close to the event venue, please visit www.eventay.co.uk/Eventsv5/Evnt_Home.aspx?evnt=8488ME

Day 1

08:30 – Seminar Programme

	TUESDAY, 2 JULY 2019
08:30	REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS
09:00	CHAIR’S OPENING REMARKS Rodney Gilmour, Oil, Gas and Chemical Committee, Institution of Mechanical Engineers
09:10 MORNING KEYNOTE	LET’S SET THE PLASTICS SCENE – WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON Barry Turner, Plastics and Flexible Packaging, Group Director, British Plastics Federation An insight into BPF’s role in supporting plastic waste reduction An overview of ‘Eco-design’ and what it means for the future of plastics How stakeholders are helping to reduce waste cycles through the implementation of new technologies
	INDUSTRY CASE STUDIES
09:40	ARLA FOODS’ APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING AND WASTE REDUCTION Committing to 100% packaging recyclability by 2020 Re-thinking design methods for packaging and incorporate recycled plastics where appropriate Case study: Re-using milk crates to stop the production of new crates across Denmark
10:05	CREATING A CLOSED-LOOP SYSTEM TO REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE An introduction to Tesco’s Closed the Loop system Driving innovation through design and packaging Pushing for a ‘use, re-use, return’ mind-set
10:30	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
10:45	NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK
11:15	THE POLICY EVOLUTION – WHAT’S ON THE PLASTICS HORIZON Senior Representative, Suez Recycling & Recovery UK EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and what this means for companies How to get the right materials into the UK marketplace Taxes – the 101 on what companies may have to pay in taxes and levies
11:45 PANEL DISCUSSION	PREVENTION RATHER THAN MANAGEMENT Should the attitude towards plastic waste shift from management to prevention What can be done in the design phases of plastic products to prevent waste Can engineers help shift this mind-set of prevention rather than management?
12:45	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
13:00	NETWORKING LUNCH
	CURRENT MEASURES AND PROJECTS
14:00 AFTERNOON KEYNOTE	THE ROADMAP TO 2025 – THE PLASTICS PACT Senior Representative, WRAP An overview of the roadmap; framework, targets and members Innovation to eradicate single-use plastics from the plastics cycle New approaches to recycling and how everyone can and should get involved
14:30	PROJECT LODESTAR – THE FUTURE OF PLASTIC RECYCLING An overview of Project Lodestar and the main reactor design Looking at raw materials and their sources for the project Putting back into the plastics cycle
15:00	TACKLING PLASTIC WASTE ON A LOCAL LEVEL An overview of plastic waste across the Greater Manchester area A day in the life of roadside collection – challenges and successes Is incineration really the way forward?
15:15	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
15:45	NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK
16:15	PRODUCING SUSTAINABLE PLASTICS An analysis of the plastics lifecycle How to achieve the greatest impact in the design and manufacturing stages of plastics Ways to boost the environmental profile of plastics
16:45	CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN ACTION Richard McKinlay, Head of Circular Economy, Axion An insight into PVC and Automotive waste challenges Current challenges facing the PVC and Automotive industries when it comes to waste Existing solutions and what more can be done
17:15	QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
17:30	CHAIR’S CLOSING REMARKS
17:40	END OF SEMINAR