RadiciGroup specialises in the production of both nylon and polyester continuous yarn. © RadiciGroup  

RadiciGroup has expanded its Operation Clean Sweep project – started up over one year ago in its engineering polymers business – to its Synthetic Fibres Business Area. Noyfil (Stabio - CH), a company specialising in the manufacture of polyester continuous yarn, has joined Operation Clean Sweep (OCS), an international programme promoted by Plastics Europe with the goal of Zero Pellet Loss.

“Preventing the release of plastic pellets and dust has always been a priority for us,” commented Alberto Giana, General Manager of Noyfil. “As part of our ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, we have already performed a risk analysis and set down an improvement action plan.”

“Moreover, during the past months, we have also been contacted by the Cantonal Authority officials on this matter, following their research study on microplastics in Swiss lakes, and we have shown them how we operate in our plant. As a result, we have decided to make a more structured commitment by pledging to implement the OCS procedures, as other Group companies have already done.”

After signing a commitment to OCS with Plastics Europe and carrying out a first assessment, Noyfil is now moving ahead on steps 3 and 4 of the project: upgrading by implementing improvement actions and raising awareness by training all people concerned to give them a better understanding of the importance of OCS and ensuring that they take ownership of the improvement process.

Noyfil’s commitment to Operation Clean Sweep is another significant step on the road to RadiciGroup Sustainability, with the objective of continual improvement to reduce the environmental impact of its business activities, according to Filippo Servalli, Sustainability Director of RadiciGroup. “We are preparing a plan to extend the OCS programme gradually to all Group companies, taking into account the fact that all our industrial processes in our various business areas have already been set up to reduce any loss of microplastics. What’s more, in the fibres sector, RadiciGroup specialises in the production of both nylon and polyester continuous yarn that feature high performance and lower environmental impact,” he said.

This coming autumn, there will be another opportunity to learn more about Operation Clean Sweep and the topic of microplastics. At the K Fair, an important triennial plastics and rubber exhibition in Dusseldorf, Germany, RadiciGroup will host a workshop entitled Zero Pellet Loss. A value chain commitment on 22 October.

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