“Zero Pellet Loss” – RKW actively contributes to environmental protection

Frankenthal, 3 December, 2020 –  The RKW Group acknowledges its responsibility for the environment and the protection of natural habitats. The company has again been awarded the "Zero Pellet Loss" certificate in nine countries this year. RKW is thus making a successful contribution to preventing plastic granulate from entering the environment.

As a raw material for the production of high-quality plastic films, the granulate is an indispensable part of the production process. It is therefore all the more important to collect these pellets by means of suitable measures – for example filters and sieves – and thus prevent contamination of soil or water.

Together with other companies and associations, the RKW Group has therefore joined the industry initiative "Zero Pellet Loss". The company is implementing the following measures:

• Identifying and eliminating potential and identified sources of loss (e.g. loading and unloading of trucks);
• Technical improvements to the workstations, such as the installation of special closing and filtering devices to trap granulate;
• Employee training courses that draw attention to the challenges of granule loss, address marine pollution, environmental and occupational safety issues, teach preventive practices (cleaning, collection) and motivate employees,
• Encouraging our partners in the value chain to participate in the initiative.

As part of its commitment to greater sustainability, the RKW Group has successfully implemented appropriate measures at all 18 production sites worldwide and has received certification for this from the German Industrial Association of Plastic Packaging (IK). "We assume responsibility for a sustainable future. To this end, we are actively working to prevent the loss of plastic granulate during the production, processing,

storage and transport of our products," says Harald Biederbick, CEO of the RKW Executive Board.

The RKW Group only processes non-toxic raw materials such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The industry initiative is intended to further reduce the already low proportion of plastic granulates in the pollution of seas and waters.

The RKW Group is an independent, privately owned company headquartered in Mannheim, Germany and one of the world’s foremost manufacturers of excellent film solutions. RKW is the market leader in the areas of hygiene and agricultural films, films for the beverage industry and packaging for powdery goods. In addition, the company makes films and nonwovens for medical applications, for the chemical and converting industries as well as for the construction sector. RKW’s sustainable films enable its customers to improve the daily life of consumers all over the world. In the fiscal year 2020, RKW generated total sales of EUR 784 million. About 3,000 employees process 350,000 metric tons of plastic materials at 19 locations around the world. True to the corporate slogan “When excellence matters”, the company, which was founded in 1957, offers outstanding performance in terms of quality and service. Respect and reliability are the core values of RKW and form the basis of the company’s success.

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