Oceans are the main lungs of the planet—they are responsible for producing much of our oxygen and are home to most of Earth’s biodiversity, which is why it is so important to preserve them.

8 June has been chosen by the UN to mark World Oceans Day. The purpose of this occasion is to inform the public of the impact of human actions on the ocean and promote the sustainable management of the world’s seas.

Clearly, the marine environment is one of the ecosystems that is most affected by improper waste management. While humans produce all kinds of waste, plastic has become the main focus in the media, since its very high durability—an indisputable advantage in terms of fostering a more circular economy—makes it last over time, and it has become ubiquitous as a source of pollution at the global level. We must not forget that microplastics, plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, which are often invisible to the human eye, have been identified as emerging environmental pollutants, and therefore, it is critical to manage them properly and prevent them from being discharged into the environment.

As indicated in the slogan of the World Environment Day celebrated on 5 June, #BeatPlasticPollution, action must be taken to prevent improperly managed plastic waste from polluting our waters. To this end, in addition to the regulatory actions being taken across the different countries, the industry is launching its own initiatives to help achieve this mission.

One of them is the Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) programme, a global, voluntary initiative in the plastics industry that seeks to prevent the leakage of plastic particles into the environment. In Spain, this programme, which is licensed by the ANAIP (Spanish Association of Plastics Industries) has the support of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITERD).

Molecor, taking responsibility for this problem as a manufacturer of PVC pipes and fittings, and as part of the value chain of the plastics industry, is #committedindustry to the preservation of ecosystems, including the marine environment. That is why all manufacturing plants have committed to the OCS programme.

This alignment and commitment involves assessing the plant’s situation, mapping possible emission sources, implementing codes of good practices for pellet cleaning and control and deploying the necessary actions to prevent and mitigate possible sources of leakage to the environment at all stages of the production process, without forgetting the need to train and raise awareness among employees.

In addition, to reinforce this commitment, the TOM^® pipes and ecoFITTOM^® Oriented PVC (PVC-O) fittings manufacturing plant achieved the corresponding AENOR certificate of conformity in 2021. The rest of the production plants are in the process of certification, and it is estimated that they will obtain it in a few weeks.

Molecor is aligned with the United Nations 2023 Agenda, and its activity contributes to several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this case, these actions contribute directly to SDG14, Life Below Water: the preservation and sustainable use of the oceans must remain a priority.