A challenging year for biotech and pharma companies Since early 2020, supply chains globally have been under great strain due to the effects of the pandemic on both trade and production. Biotech and pharma companies have faced the challenge of producing new vaccines, tests and treatments at a rate that would previously have been unthinkable, at a time when countries across the world have been under lockdown, with increasingly tight borders.

To reach Net Zero 2050 we’re likely to need hydrogen “Hydrogen is likely to be a key piece of the decarbonisation puzzle,” says Sembcorp’s Natalie Lowery. “Government, National Grid (NG), the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) and many others agree that hydrogen is needed to reach Net Zero, and internationally big commitments are being made to it. “In the UK, the Government’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution sets a target for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030, which they’re supporting with a range of measures including a £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.

What does Biffa Polymers do here at Wilton International? “It’s a 24⁄7 operation at Wilton. 140 people are employed at the fully automated site and there’s huge demand for our products,” Chris explains. “The Wilton facility re-processes household and industrial waste plastics in 5 different processing streams, each doing something slightly different. The plastics we recycle here are called Polyolefins - polypropylene and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Re-processing them means they can be re-used, saving waste and reducing the need for production of new plastic feedstocks.

The pressure on industry is coming from several directions. Consumers, inspired by media coverage including the BBC’s Blue Planet series, are demanding action on marine and other plastic waste. Government legislation and targets, including the UK’s 2050 goal for net zero carbon, mean that reducing waste and emissions is imperative. And now shareholders are adding to the pressure, by demanding increasingly robust sustainability and decarbonisation strategies from the businesses they invest in.