Society of the Plastics Industry: 1989 Response to Global Warming

In April 1989, Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) published an article titled “Climate Change Task Force Tackles Global Warming” in their trade association newsletter to address intensifying concerns over global warming. Though the article suggests that global warming legislation could threaten the plastic industry, SPI represented these potential challenges as an opportunity to highlight the environmental benefits of plastic.

While the production and incineration of plastic is now commonly recognized as an environmental issue, SPI attempted to “develop a response focusing on the positive contributions of plastics with regard to global warming.”

Despite an implicit recognition that global warming bills in Congress could challenge the plastic industry, SPI maintained that new legislation could be an opportunity for the industry to highlight the benefits of plastic stating: “The task force recognizes global warming as a long-term, highly complex issue. There are, however, opportunities for the plastic industry in particular to respond and to present the positive role of plastics. The task force’s immediate goals are to help the industry respond positively to this serious, emerging issue. ”

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