Safe and Compliant Logistics for Plastic Raw Materials: Best Practices for Processors

Plastic processors are under more pressure than ever to ensure safer, more sustainable practices. Just recently, the EU announced a provisional agreement with new rules for the transportation of plastic pellets. The focus, as with most current regulations, is on preventing the loss of pellets into the environment. This announcement is just one example of the regulatory standards that global businesses have to comply with.

But how can processors ensure compliance without compromising on efficiency? The answer lies with innovative logistics technologies such as trackers and analytics platforms. By implementing better tools and practices, businesses can improve sustainability and compliance while also optimizing output.

The Compliance Concerns That Come with Transporting Plastic Raw Materials

Maritime plastic pellet spills have placed a spotlight on the transportation of plastic raw materials and the pollution crises that occur when accidents occur. As a result, processors now have to grapple with a range of regulatory standards that vary according to country and mode of transport. This includes:

• International standards such as the IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods) and the ICAO Technical Instructions/IATA DGR for air transport
• EU regulations such as REACH and CLP
• US EPA and Department of Transportation regulations

Though the specifics of these standards differ, they share a focus on:

• The use of sealed, durable containers that prevent plastic raw materials from spilling during transit
• The need for clear and accurate labelling on shipments so that they’re handled correctly
• Comprehensive documentation and data sheets that include details on shipment contents as well as safety precautions

Those who fail to comply with these regulations risk incurring fines and supply chain disruptions when cargo gets held up at customs or clients refuse to take delivery. Addressing these issues requires adopting and implementing enhanced logistics practices, the use of smart technologies.

Packaging and Handling Considerations: Preventing Contamination and Damage

In January 2023, plastic pellets made headlines when hundreds of thousands of them began washing up on French shores. The exact culprit was never found, but it was believed to be the result of a lost shipping container in the Atlantic Ocean. Incidents like these are why the latest guidance on the transportation of plastic raw materials is so focused on high-quality packaging and handling.

Generally, packaging for plastic raw materials needs to be sealed against dust, moisture, and other contaminants and be able to withstand shocks and multiple loadings. They also need to be stowed and secured under deck to avoid the kind of accident mentioned above. Light-sensitive raw materials require UV-resistant packaging and products prone to leakage, a secondary containment.

Handling practices to prevent spillage or contamination include:

• Dedicating specific loading and unloading equipment to different materials
• Using inner liners on containers and applying tamper-evident seals
• Cleaning all mats and equipment thoroughly between loads

Implementing these practices not only helps you meet your compliance and sustainability requirements. It also helps prevent the loss of valuable assets. The problem for many processors is ensuring that these practices are honored by logistics teams. That’s where trackers come into play.

Smart Logistics in Action: Sensors, Tracking, and Digital Tools

Heat, light, and shock tend to be the biggest risks when it comes to the safe transportation of plastic raw materials. Pellets that are shaken loose from their containers can spill, and heat and light can degrade packaging and raw materials.

Implementing safe packaging and handling is the first step to addressing these issues, but technology can make tracking the stability of shipments far easier. IoT sensors, for example, are able to track environmental factors and shock, as well as location, in real time.

The benefit of these trackers is that not only are shipments tracked, and data captured for compliance purposes (making documentation, etc., much easier), but sensors can also be used to send automated warnings when temperatures or vibrations in transit exceed desired thresholds.

Processors are then able to monitor shipments throughout the supply chain and ensure that handling remains in line with compliance requirements. The data gleaned from sensors can also be used to provide added efficiency and risk protection insights, especially when paired with analytics platforms.

Toward Greener Supply Chains: Sustainability Innovations in Logistics

Two key trends are emerging in supply chain sustainability: reducing fuel usage and wasteful packaging. IoT and GPS are vital for both.

Transportation accounts for about 30% of global energy consumption which is why so many countries and industries are now placing pressure on businesses to cut back their emissions. Tracking routing with GPS and using a TMS can help decrease excess fuel spend significantly. It’s as beneficial to processors’ budgets as they are to sustainability commitments.

IoT can also be used to track packaging and ensure that processors get their reusable packaging back at the end of a delivery, which reduces waste and saves money. “Going green” is not only good for the environment, it can also positively impact profitability.  

Conclusion: Ensuring Safe, Efficient, and Sustainable Material Flow

Raw material spills and contaminations are costly: processors lose revenue, risk disappointing customers and losing future business, and face expensive compliance fines and clean-ups.

Implementing tracking technology and data analytics helps monitor handling and packaging practices so that materials are transported safely and sustainably throughout the supply chain.

Shipments that are monitored more closely are more likely to arrive at their destination damage-free, and the data collected along the way can be used later to inform optimization strategies and other improvement plans. By viewing safety and sustainability as part of overall efficiency, businesses can not only improve current operations but also better prepare for a more compliance-heavy future.

Nick Fryer has over a decade of experience in the logistics industry, spanning marketing, public relations, sales enablement, M&A and more at 3PLs and 4PLs including AFN Logistics, GlobalTranz, and Sheer Logistics.