Perc Pineda on the Russia/Ukraine Conflict

and Its Effect on Plastics Trade

Recently, on the PLASTICS blog, Chief Economist Perc Pineda, Ph.D. offered insights on what the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has meant and how it could potentially impact the U.S. plastics trade. Pineda also weighed in on the appreciation and depreciation of international currencies. In case you missed it, you can find it here on the PLASTICS blog.

Welcome New Team Members

Mark O'Connell:

Vice President, Government Affairs

A longtime member of the Washington D.C. legislative and regulatory world, Mark O'Connell  will lead association efforts directed to Capitol Hill, the Administration, regulatory agencies and state/municipal governments nationwide. He will also represent the PLASTICS Political Action Committee, and lead efforts to educate state and local policymakers on PLASTICS  policy priorities.

Charlotte Dreizen:

Director, Sustainability and Environment

With her extensive experience supporting circular economy and net-zero carbon initiatives, Charlotte Dreizen will conduct direct oversight of activities that encompass Operation Clean Sweep (OCS), a program founded by PLASTICS, and leading the association’s efforts on educational programs and external efforts that prioritize the reduction of plastics in our environment. Follow her popular, sustainability-focused @CharDreizen Twitter account to learn more about recycling today!

Mónica Mancilla Cooke:
Senior Director,

Human Resources

Bringing substantial compliance, talent recruitment and development experience to her role, Mónica Mancilla Cooke will be instrumental to the success of our expanding professional environment at PLASTICS. Cooke's wide-ranging HR background includes key roles with a variety of organizations in the Washington association arena, including he Information Technology Industry Council, American Petroleum Institute and International Republican Institute.

Recent PLASTICS Association Events

 Bioplastics Week 2022 Increases

Reach of PLASTICS' Messaging

Bioplastics Week 2022 was a big success with a more than 50% increase in the number of people reached by the #BioplasticsWeek hashtag over 2021, indicating that Bioplastics Week content from PLASTICS and participating companies appeared in the streams of approximately 2 million people. Visit the PLASTICS blog for a Bioplastics Week recap.    

Successful 2022 National Manufacturing Day

Nearly 200 companies nationwide staged events for Manufacturing Day to show their communities and young, future jobseekers the great opportunities available in the world of manufacturing. Plastics Today ran an article on the event and our association's sponsorship. Thanks to all of the PLASTICS members who participated in this great initiative!

Upcoming Events

Don't miss your chance to participate in the initial assignment of exhibit space at our in-person Space Draw, February 27 – March 3, 2023 in Orlando, Florida!

Register for the upcoming EHS+ Committee Meeting which will take place October 26-27, 2022. We look forward to your participation in this now exclusively virtual event! Our robust program will include a variety of topics including: advocacy, communications and sustainability initiatives, calculating Scope3 greenhouse gas emissions, environmental justice including related EPA tools and permitting, process safety, lockout/tagout and training a changing workforce, and microplastics and chemical substances on the regulatory radar. Please contact Marie Gargas with any questions.

Produced in association with Chemical Data and ICIS, the PLASTICS Packaging Summit brings equipment manufacturers, materials suppliers, processors, retailers and brands together to address common challenges facing the packaging industry, including technology, business readiness, sustainability & recycling, and more. We look forward to hosting this year's summit in Indianapolis, Indiana, where our program will offer an incredible range of content including FDA regulatory updates, the latest on sustainability, and economics insights from PLASTICS' Chief Economist, Dr. Perc Pineda. Contact events@plasticsindustry.org for more information.