The "Circular Economy" dossier published online by Agentschap Innoveren & Ondernemen was recently supplemented by an interesting theme article on chemicals and plastics.
Ask any man or woman in the street which sector or industry would benefit most from more circularity, and chances are that the chemical sector will be the first to come to mind. This, of course, has everything to do with the bad - because very visible - reputation of litter, microplastics and plastic soup.
The same man or woman sometimes forgets that 1) illegal waste is more a behavioural issue than caused by the chemical sector; 2) his/her world would look completely different without chemicals and plastics (from the button on your alarm clock, to the vacuum-packed coffee or cereal we eat for breakfast in the morning, to the car she/he uses to go to work, ...); 3) that the sector has already taken many steps in the field of recycling and is preparing the future.
Time to let the sector speak for itself and hear how they view circularity and what concrete steps they are taking to make the world of chemicals and plastics more sustainable. VLAIO business advisor Rik Candries had an instructive chat with Ann Verlinden, Karen Van Wesenbeeck and Wannes Libbrecht of Catalisti and Isabel De Schrijver of Centexbel. Two organisations that have a broad view on the sector, based on their connecting role between the business and knowledge worlds.
