Nova Chemicals investing $2 million to reduce plastic debris in oceans

Calgary-based chemical maker Nova Chemicals Corp. will make a three-year investment of nearly $2 million to prevent plastic debris from reaching the oceans.

The investment supports Project Stop, a new global initiative to design and implement solutions to reduce marine plastic pollution especially in countries with high leakage of plastics into our oceans.

Southeast Asia has been identified as a major source of marine plastic debris as economic development and plastics consumption have outpaced the expansion of waste management systems in the region. Project Stop has chosen Indonesia as a primary focus region.

“We understand the growing concern about marine plastic pollution and agree we must take meaningful action to address this challenge,” said John Thayer, Nova’s senior vice president, PE business. “Plastics are too valuable to be thrown away or left as litter. We’re working with Project STOP to find high-impact solutions to prevent plastic pollution in critical locations around the world.”

Nova’s investment will support the first city partnership in Muncar, a coastal fishing community located in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. “With minimal waste services in place, many citizens are forced to dump their waste directly into the environment,” Nova said in a statement. “Muncar was chosen as the first Stop location due to the seriousness of the challenge, coupled with strong leadership and environmental commitment at national, regency and local levels.”

Project Stop was co-created in 2017 by Borealis and SYSTEMIQ. Borealis, a sister company of Nova, provides polyolefins and other base chemicals; SYSTEMIQ is a firm that develops solutions for sustainable land-use, material and energy systems.

Project Stop has three objectives: Zero leakage of waste into the environment by ensuring waste collection services are available to all households and businesses, through increasing pick-up points, sorting facilities and staff; increased recycling of plastics by strengthening the supply chain from waste collection to waste management companies; and providing benefits for the local community by creating new jobs in the waste management system and reducing the impacts of mismanaged waste on public health, tourism, and fisheries.