This event is the second of a Societe sponsored series of discussion groups on topics that are of importance to those who are involved in the chemical and life science industries. The concept is to have a virtual gathering of both people who are familiar with the topic and want to share ideas and people who want to learn. We will put those who register into individual discussion rooms of no more than 15, led by a knowledgeable discussion facilitator who will guide the one hour discussion. The list of discussion facilitators has not been finalized, but it will include board members Mike Witt of Dow (who spoke on the topic on September 16 and is a leader in this area), and Paul Pospisil, a Societe board member. No speakers, just a sharing of ideas and experiences.
Registration will be first come, first serve with the only limit being the number of discussion rooms that we will be able to support. We will operate using Chatham House rules, i.e. you can tell someone else about things your learn, but you cannot quote the person who said it. This common rule is used so that the attendees will not feel inhibited with regard to their comments.
When mass production of plastics began in the 1940s, innovation of all types of products began to accelerate at a much faster pace. This strong and light weight material enabled innovators to design products that were not thought to be possible. While plastics technology advanced, the world population doubled and with it a waste infrastructure that was incapable of growing at a pace that matched the planet's population growth. According to the World Bank, annual waste generation is expected to increase by 70% to 3.4 billion tons in 2050. The impact of that waste is far worse in developing countries, particularly the urban poor where over 90% of waste is often disposed in unregulated dumps or openly burned. This is not only unsafe for the people of these regions, but also places a great deal of stress on the environment. Poorly managed waste serves as a breeding ground for disease vectors and contributes to global climate change through greenhouse gas generation.
The discussion group will focus on these issues and the kinds of things that can be done and are being done to meet the challenge.
NOTE: Registration will be limited to the first 40 participants
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