Petrochemical Products

WASHINGTON, D.C. — American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) Vice President of Petrochemicals and Midstream Rob Benedict issued the following statement at the conclusion of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC- 5.2) where a global agreement to end plastic pollution was not reached, though participating nations have agreed to continue the process.

We recently celebrated the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing — a monumental achievement for both American ingenuity and human curiosity.

Given low domestic recycling rates for plastic, the efficacy of recycling is often called into question. But that doesn’t mean recycling doesn’t work. Advanced recycling technologies — as well as traditional mechanical recycling — play a pivotal role in addressing plastic waste and recovering the value in used plastics.

Narratives that pit the refining and petrochemical industries against electric vehicles (EVs) ignore the symbiotic relationship of these industries. If you review the history of EVs – you will see that refining and petrochemical companies have been foundational to the EV market all along and will continue to be far into the future.

Bridget Confait-Smith is the Associate Director of Research, Innovation, Technology and Global Sustainability with Westlake Corporation.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) President and CEO Chet Thompson issued the following statement today in response to reports indicating that the United States is shifting its position on the United Nations’ global agreement to end plastic pollution and will now support calls for plastic production caps and the establishment of a global list of banned chemicals. AFPM has been a participant in the United Nations’ (UN) Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) process for the past two years:

As we enjoy watching our favorite Olympic events and proudly tally Team USA medals, we can’t help but spot petrochemicals and their supporting role in the Games as well — in our athletes’ high-performance uniforms and sporting equipment, in the flags, nets and world-class venues on display throughout Paris.

Ottawa, Canada — As the fourth session of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to create a global agreement on plastic pollution concluded Monday in Ottawa, AFPM released the following statement.

As AFPM participates in the United Nations negotiations of a global agreement on plastic pollution in Kenya, the association released the following statement addressing criticisms of recycling and calls for production restrictions on polymers.