Over the past several years and decades, plastic has become more complicated with many layered and blended materials becoming more popular, especially in the packaging world. And with these developments, plastic recycling has also needed to evolve beyond mechanical shredding. In this episode, we interview Myra Foster, the executive director of Sustainability Strategy and Advocacy at Sealed Air Corporation. Sealed Air invented bubble wrap in 1960s and has led the way in plastic packaging for food and protection. Myra tells us how Sealed Air is working on advanced chemical techniques to recycle blended and complicated plastics. She also discusses various sustainability pledges and challenges that come up for companies working with plastic. We learn that eliminating plastic is not the solution in every situation and how companies like Sealed Air are working on advanced recycling to improve sustainability and circularity as a whole. Find out more at Sealed Air Sustainability
Myra’s Bio: Myra Hughes Foster is a native of Columbia, SC. She received her BS and MS degrees in Microbiology from Clemson University where she was a recipient of the Raymond Sarber Fellowship Award for outstanding research from the American Society of Microbiology. She began her professional career with Cryovac, then a division of W R Grace and now part of Sealed Air, in August 1990. Myra has held various positions within the company including Food Technologist, Packaging Specialist, Applications Lab Manager, Marketing/New Business Development Manager, and Global Strategic Marketing Director. Since 2019, she has led the Global Sustainability Strategy and Advocacy team and now serves as the team’s Executive Director and a new member of the corporate ESG Leadership Team. Myra has been affiliated with numerous professional and civic organizations including the American Society of Microbiology, the Institute of Food Technologists, the Women’s Foodservice Forum, and NextGen/Calibr, an affiliate of the Executive Leadership Council. She is a past Secretary/Board Trustee of the Original Six Foundation and currently serves on the board of GEMI, the Global Environmental Management Initiative, Board Member/Secretary for the Clemson University Career Workshop Advisory Board, and a member of Sealed Air’s Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council.
Hosts: Manali Banerjee and Nasreen Khan
Editors: Manali Banerjee and Nasreen Khan
Music: Shang Young
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