September 4th 2019, 9:30 – 16:30

COMPASS, the COnsortiuM for Plastics And SuStainability, invites you to attend its launch meeting in the Postgraduate Centre at Heriot-Watt University Riccarton Campus.  COMPASS provides the broad range of enabling knowledge and expertise necessary to underpin the drive towards a circular economy for plastics. 

Our launch meeting will spotlight a range of speakers from our broad stakeholder community and couple these presentations with frank and open discussions led by facilitators from our academic staff. The outcome of the meeting is to develop a white paper presenting an evidence-based strategy for and directions for future actions.

Meeting Program (confirmed speakers)

Chair: Prof Ted Henry (Heriot-Watt University)

9:50 Prof John Underhill (Heriot-Watt University, Scottish Government’s Science Advisory Council (SSAC))

9:55 Prof Colin Moffat (Scottish Government Chief Scientific Advisor Marine) – The Plastic Conundrum

Initially studying chemistry, Colin completed a PhD in heparin biochemistry, including links to tumour angiogenesis, before joining Torry Research Station where he investigated the structure of fish lipids and their nutritional benefits.  He subsequently investigated organic contaminants in the marine and terrestrial environments, pathological samples, food producing animals and food products with a specific interest in their biological effects on marine biota. Colin has specialised in the methodology associated with determining the state of marine ecosystems.  He lead on the production of assessments of the North-East Atlantic, including the Intermediate Assessment 2017 which utilised new indicators and targets (including for marine litter), providing an assessment of progress towards achieving a clean, healthy and biologically diverse North-East Atlantic.  Colin continues to study contamination of marine systems, including by plastics and other marine litter.  He is a member of the Pool of Experts for the United Nations World Ocean Assessment 2. 

10:15 Prof Richard Thompson, OBE (Plymouth University) – Marine Litter: Are there Solutions to this Global Environmental Problem

Richard wrote the first paper describing the accumulation of micropalstics in the ocean and much of his work over the last two decades has focused on marine debris; its sources, distribution and impacts as well as potential solutions. He has over 170 publications (H-index 54) and leads an extensive research portfolio. He was a co-author of the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive text on marine litter and has been a member of numerous international working groups on marine litter including GESAMP, NCEAS, UNEP, UNIRP.  In 2014 he presented his research to the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, at his Our Ocean meeting in Washington. He has also presented to scientific and policy leads from OECD and G7 nations. Recent work by his team directly informed the UK Government decision to introduce legislation on the use of microplastics in cosmetics and contributed to the Environmental Audit Committee report of Sustainable Fashion. In 2017 Thompson received the Marsh Award for Marine and Freshwater Conservation for his work on plastics; and was recognised in the New Year Honours List, with an OBE for services to Marine Science. He leads the International Marine Litter Research Unit at Plymouth.

10:45 James Finlayson (Impact Recycling) – Plastic – Fall Guy or Villain

James Finlayson.  James is Technical Director at Impact Recycling & an Engineering Manager at Impact Solutions. He was a key developer of the BOSS (Baffled Oscillation Separation System) and was charged with developing the technology from demonstration to commercial scale.  In his role with Impact Recycling James was responsible for the setup of their first commercial plant in Newcastle, where up to 6000 tonnes per annum of manufacturing ready Polypropylene and Polyethylene are recovered, purified and sold from previously exported, landfilled or incinerated waste streams.  His role at Impact Solutions sees him exposed to industry problems & innovations from across the supply chain – from reactor through to recycle.  James holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Edinburgh and is an IChemE member.

11:05 Bryan McCluskey, Circularity Director, Natural Hydration Council – Plastic Packaging Friend or Foe?

Bryan joined the NHC in February 2019 in the newly created position of Circularity Director, initially leading the response to the proposed Deposit Return Scheme in Scotland. Previously Bryan was Group Operations Director of Highland Spring, having been with the business for over 20 years and held a number of positions within the Group in the areas of IT, operations, technical, procurement, water resource management, acquisition and integration and general management.

11:25 Prof Iain Black, Professor of sustainable consumption (Stirling University) – What is the Role Choice When the Patient is Bleeding Out? Consumer Agency in a Plastics Circular Economy

Iain Black is Professor of Sustainable Consumption at the University of Stirling. His main research interests focus on sustainability and climate change, in particular why people choose not to consume (anti-consumption), deconsumerisation and responses to scarcity.  He is sustainable consumption theme leader for the International Sustainable Development Research Society and active with various policy forums including Commonweal where he is a Director and a co-author of their new report on a Green New Deal for Scotland.  Recent contributions to government policy include a report on climate change engagement strategy. He is also highly active in the community where he is Chair of Friends of the Earth Scotland and founded SMAUG, a pressure group contributing to the moratorium on exploiting unconventional oil and gas in Scotland.

11:45 Stephen Boyle, Strategic Program Manager, Zero Waste Scotland – Plastics within the construction sector

Stephen has working in the environmental sector in Scotland for over 30 years. 20 years with Scotland’s environmental regulators and 4 years in private consultancy prior to joining Zero Waste Scotland.  Since joining Zero Waste Scotland, Stephen has worked in a number of areas predominantly managing business support programmes under the Resource Efficient Scotland programme and Zero Waste Scotland Construction programme. The aims of these programmes to help and support the Scottish private, public and third sectors to become more resource efficient and support Scotland to deliver its goal of moving to a Circular Economy whilst still delivering sustainable economic growth.  Stephen is a Chemist and has a Masters Degree from Glasgow Caledonian University. 

12:05-13:30 Lunch

1:30 pm Break-out sessions

  1. Textiles (Facilitator, Sue Thomas)
  2. Construction (Facilitator, Gabi Medero)
  3. Packaging (Facilitator, David Bucknall)
  4. Healthy Human Environment (Facilitator, Martin McCoustra)
  5. Healthy Natural Environment (Facilitator, Teresa Fernandes, Tony Gutierrez)

3:00 Coffee

3:30 Wrap-up session in lecture room

4:30 Close of meeting