Pedro De Filippo Vannucci
Program Coordinator, Sustainability & Environment
Resin facilities are exposed to potential environmental risks in the event of natural disasters including hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, and tornadoes, which may significantly disrupt resin handling operations. As natural disasters approach, it is essential to integrate resin loss prevention measures into both storm preparedness and post-event cleanup protocols. In August, Operation Clean Sweep held a webinar dedicated to disaster preparedness for resin operations, highlighting practical case studies and sharing expert perspectives. The session, led by OCS Consultant Will Planter, featured Kevin Colomb, Polyolefins Manufacturing Advisor at ExxonMobil, and Dan Martino, Vice President Administration at Inteplast Group, who emphasized the necessity of adopting robust disaster preparedness plans within plastic resin handling operations.
Assigning Roles and Action Phases for Disaster Preparedness
Plastic resin facilities often have various responsibilities before, during, and after severe weather events. A critical part of effective disaster preparedness is the assignment of clear roles and the definition of action phases for staff. As Colomb highlighted during the webinar, having a structured plan that designates responsibilities to staff ahead of time, helps confirm that every aspect of resin containment is addressed. ExxonMobil’s strategy emphasizes cross-departmental communication, with administrative teams working alongside human resources to coordinate storm response and recovery. Colomb highlighted that Exxon’s facilities have benefited from establishing the following organization:
- Pre-event Phase: Assign teams to inspect barriers, clean storm drains, and review containment systems.
- Active Event Phase: Designate leaders for monitoring facility conditions, communicating with staff, and executing emergency shutdowns if necessary.
- Post-event Phase: Allocate resources for rapid cleanup and assessment of resin containment integrity.
Multilayered Containment Strategies
The pre-event phase focuses on inspecting equipment like storm drains, silos, fence lines, and loading or unloading zones, which can be especially susceptible to flooding or high winds. Barriers and containment systems can become overwhelmed or compromised, potentially leading to plastic resin being released outside of the company’s facility boundary.
During the webinar, Martino explained that to minimize the company’s environmental and operational risks, they examine container seals and transport resin away from shallow areas, which will enable easier cleanup of plastic resin in case of a spill. Inteplast implements multiple layers of protection that are checked routinely to reduce the opportunities for resin releases:
“We have a massive filter protection program here on site to catch our pellets so that they are pulled out of the ditches immediately if anything does happen. Then, before it hits outfall ditches, our stormwater runoff, we’ve got a whole other series of screens to catch pellets if they make it there. Then finally, we have our outfall system, a double layer of protection, multiple screens again.”
For facilities looking to strengthen their containment systems with new equipment, the OCS Vendor Directory is a valuable resource. This member-only tool provides OCS Members with a comprehensive list of industry solutions for resin containment, cleanup, and prevention that can help facilities prepare for high-stress weather events.
Scenario Planning and Continuous Improvement
Just as containment technology plays an essential role in resin loss prevention, facilities may also benefit from strong communication and planning prior to a natural disaster event. By accessing resources offered through the OCS program ahead of natural disasters facilities can support staff preparedness efforts throughout each phase of response.
During the August webinar, Dan Martino described Inteplast’s proactive strategy that requires all staff to, “Explore all the what-ifs before the event materializes.” Scenario planning provides direct action items throughout the weather event that can be revised and improved continuously. Guest speaker Kevin Colomb underscored a vital aspect of this approach:
“The last step is the most important step in terms of this work organization which is that we learn from each storm what went well, what didn’t go well, and then we’re able to bring that back into our procedure updates to make sure it improves the next time.”
By leveraging resources, innovative technologies and a strong culture of resin loss prevention, facilities can refine their preparedness strategies and work to minimize environmental impact when natural disasters occur.
If your company is not yet an OCS member, click here to learn more about membership. OCS provides a variety of members-only resources, including webinars, educational materials, and unique opportunities to collaborate with resin loss prevention leaders from across the value chain!