Tarragona/Essen, 17 October 2023 - LyondellBasell is the first company in the world to successfully undergo certification in accordance with the OCS Europe Certification Scheme based on the Operation Clean Sweep initiative (OCS). The certificate was presented to LyondellBasell at its certified site in Tarragona, Spain, on 14 September 2023 by Ana del Rio, Country Manager Iberia at the international certification body DNV. The certificate proves that this production facility meets the requirements of the OCS program developed for companies in the plastics supply chain to help them minimize plastic losses and protect the environment.
"Congratulations to LyondellBasell on the certification and for leading the way in addressing plastic loss with the world's first certification against OCS Europe Certification Scheme," says Barbara Frencia, CEO in Business Assurance, DNV. "The OCS program and certification is an important tool to protect our environment and build trust in company efforts and commitments to sustainable, responsible business practices.
Zero pellet loss
“We believe ending plastic waste in the environment is a critical issue of our time. We are committed to helping eliminate plastic waste and are engaged in collaborative efforts across the value chain to direct action where it is needed most,” says Rob Rutjes, Senior Manager Environmental Issues at LyondellBasell. Our goal is zero loss of plastic pellets to the environment from our operations. The certification at the Tarragona site shows us that we are on the right track to achieve that goal. We want to reduce plastic losses to zero worldwide and we are well-positioned to have certifications in accordance with the OCS Europe Certification Scheme for all our 24 European polymer sites by the end of 2024. Creating awareness and engaging employees and contractors are essential. They can detect, report, and catch any pellet spill. Moreover, they often know from experience what areas can be improved".
Great commitment
To progress commitment to zero pellet loss to the environment, 75 LyondellBasell polymer handling facilities around the globe took part in OCS Week in 2022. “This week-long event offered an opportunity for sites to share best practices to prevent pellet loss and included thorough site-wide ‘sweeps’ to clean up any potential pellets. Our employees showed great commitment to pellet loss prevention and cleaning the sites, which demonstrates how important this issue is to everyone”, Rob concludes. Nearly all LyondellBasell sites in Europe are already certified according to ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment), some have ISO 50001 (energy management) and IATF 16949 (quality in automotive sector) by DNV.
About OCS
OCS is an international program that aims to reduce the release of plastic granules, flakes and particles into the environment during handling by the different actors in the plastics value chain. The certification scheme was developed jointly by EuPC, the association of European plastics converters, and Plastics Europe, the association of plastics manufacturers in Europe. Participation in the scheme is voluntary, and its implementation allows for a significant reduction in overall emissions of plastic pellets through continuous improvement.
