Programme

Please find here the final programme of PolyTalk 2018.

Registration and welcome lunch

Welcome
Karin Helmstaedt, Moderator

Welcome Words
Hon. José A. Herrera, Minister for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Malta

Setting the Scene
Plastics, a sustainable material with a challenge
Daniele Ferrari, President, PlasticsEurope; Chief Executive Officer, Versalis

Interactive Dialogue
Marine litter: a scientific perspective

• François Galgani, Project Manager, French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER)
• Richard Thompson, Professor of Marine Biology, Plymouth University

Networking coffee

Moderated Panel Discussion, followed by Q&A
Tackling a global challenge

• Vijay Merchant, Senior Adviser for the Environment, PLASTINDIA Foundation
• Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, The Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association (GPCA)
• Daniel Yaw Mensah Tornyigah, Director, Policy and Sustainability, Federation of Plastic Manufacturers, Recyclers and Users, Ghana (FePMRUG)
• Heike Imhoff, Head of Division “Protection of the Marine Environment”, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Federal Republic of Germany
• Crispian Lao, Vice Chairman and Private Sector Representative to the Recycling Industry, National Solid Waste Management Commission, Republic of the Philippines
• Steven Russell, Vice President, Plastics Division, American Chemistry Council (ACC)

Video Message
Priorities of the Austrian EU Council Presidency
Elisabeth Köstinger, Federal Minister for Sustainability and Tourism, Federal Republic of Austria

Moderated Panel Discussion, followed by Q&A
The European path forward towards a cleaner marine environment

• Stefanie Werner, Scientific Officer for the Marine Protection Unit, German Environment Agency (UBA)
• Haitze Siemers, Head of Unit Maritime Innovation, Marine Knowledge and Investment, DG MARE, European Commission
• Alan Deidun, Marine biologist, university academic and Ocean Ambassador for Malta, University of Malta and International Ocean Institute (IOI - Malta)

Networking coffee

Moderated Panel Discussion, followed by Q&A
Shared Strategies for the Mediterranean region: issues and challenges

• Stefano Ciafani, President, Legambiente, Italy
• Gaetano Leone, Coordinator, UN Environment/Mediterranean Action Plan-Barcelona Convention Secretariat
• Yavuz Eroğlu, President, Turkish Plastics Industry Federation (PAGEV); President of MEA & Turkey, Waste Free Oceans Foundation (WFO)
• Edward Sultana, Co-founder of pressure group "No To Plastic Malta"

Summary and closing words - day 1
Karin Helmstaedt, Moderator

Networking cocktails, followed by Buffet Dinner
Reef Club Pavilion

Welcome words
Daniele Ferrari, President, PlasticsEurope; Chief Executive Officer, Versalis

Registration and coffee

Welcome
Karin Helmstaedt, Moderator

Keynote Speech
Global Industry’s commitments
Jim Seward, Chairman, World Plastics Council and Vice-President JV and International Business, LyondellBasell

Introduction
The Global Plastics Alliance & Plastics 2030 – PlasticsEurope’s voluntary commitment to increase circularity and resource efficiency
Karl-H. Foerster, Executive Director, PlasticsEurope

Pitching Industry Efforts, followed by Q&A
Preventing Plastics Litter in the Environment - a value chain effort

1. PlasticsEurope's work on Marine Litter Solutions

• Anne-Gaëlle Collot, Senior Manager, Environmental Affairs, PlasticsEurope
• Dorothea Wiplinger, Sustainability Manager, Borealis AG, Chair of PlasticsEurope Marine Litter Solutions Working Group

2. Operation Clean Sweep®

• Gesa Junghanns, Governmental Affairs Manager, Covestro Deutschland AG
• Maxim Remchukov, Sustainability Manager, SIBUR
• Luc Arnouts, Director International Relations & Networks, Port of Antwerp
• Dilyana Mihaylova, Projects Manager for Marine Plastics, Fauna & Flora International (FFI)

Networking Coffee

Moderated Panel Discussion, followed by Q&A
Improving Resource Efficiency and Accelerating Innovation to Increase Circularity - Innovation

• Irene Diez, General Manager, ECOALF Foundation
• Guido Sonnemann, Professor for Sustainable Chemistry, University of Bordeaux, and Vice Chair, Forum for Sustainability through Life Cycle Innovation (FSLCI)
• Marco Faimali, Research Scientist, Institute of Marine Science of Genoa, National Research Council (ISMAR-CNR), Italy & Nikoleta Bellou, Research Scientist, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Institute of Oceanography (HCMR-IO)
• Julien Boucher, Partner, Shaping Environmental Action & Carole Dubois, Senior Consultant, Quantis
• Philippe Diercxsens, Packaging & Environment Manager, DANONE Beverages Division
• Joao Sousa, Marine Programme Officer/Project Manager, IUCN

Video Message
Matthieu et Quentin, Cycle to Recycle
Two cousins cycling the world to spotlight plastic waste solutions

Keynote Speech
Europe’s commitment & Plastics Strategy
Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

Networking Lunch

Creating Awareness and Changing Behaviour
Introduction
Lesley Henderson, Senior Lecturer in Sociology & Communications, Institute for the Environment, Health & Societies, Brunel University London

Moderated Panel Discussion, followed by Q&A
Creating Awareness and Changing Behaviour

• Allan Thomas Williams, Geologist, Chartered Engineer & Scientist
• Helmut Schmitz, Director Communication & Public Affairs, Duales System Holding (DSD) - Der Grüne Punkt
• Maria Westerbos, Director, Plastic Soup Foundation
• Lesley Henderson, Senior Lecturer in Sociology & Communications, Institute for the Environment, Health & Societies, Brunel University London
• Simon Bernard, Expedition Leader, Plastic Odyssey

Keynote Speech
Alternative views on waste collection & recycling – global experiences

Costas Velis, Lecturer, Resource Efficiency Systems, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds

Moderated Panel Discussion, followed by Q&A
Improving Resource Efficiency and Accelerating Innovation to Increase Circularity - Resource Management

• Crispian Lao, Vice Chairman and Private Sector Representative to the Recycling Industry, National Solid Waste Management Commission, Republic of the Philippines
• Leon Jacobs, Sustainability Leader, SABIC Europe
• Michael Scriba, Managing Director, mtm plastics GmbH and mtm compact GmbH, member of Borealis Group
• Christian Crépet, Executive Director, Petcore Europe
• Ziad Abichaker, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Cedar Environmental, Lebanon

Wrap-up and Closing remarks
Karl-H. Foerster, Executive Director, PlasticsEurope