Sustainability is Business as Usual: A Commitment to Doing the Right Thing

Sustainability is business as usual at AmSty, according to John Medico, Vice President of Feedstocks, Styrene and Supply Chain. AmSty is a leading producer of styrene monomer and polystyrene plastic.

"It's a further extension of the values I've seen at AmSty and in the plastics industry for a long time," he said. "It's an evolution of continuous improvement, environmental stewardship, doing the right thing for communities. All have been valued in the chemical and plastics industry for years."

Styrene monomer is a naturally occurring organic compound that can also be made on a commercial scale. Found in strawberries, coffee beans, peanuts and cinnamon, styrene monomer is used commercially in a variety of applications including paints, tires, paper coatings, adhesives, medical equipment, electronics and asphalt. Styrene is the building block monomer for polystyrene plastic.

"We're proud to be the leading U.S. producer of ISCC PLUS-certified recycled styrene and polystyrene," said Medico. "AmSty is a pioneer in offering circular recycling product offerings sold under its branded name PolyRenew®."

Polystyrene is an essential material found in kitchen appliances, electronic casings, food packaging, bike helmets and more, he said.

As Medico reflects on AmSty's achievements, he's proud of the company's track record of being on the forefront of innovation, particularly with circular recycling that allows polystyrene to be recycled over and over again, maintaining its original quality and durability – and keeping it out of landfills.

"When I talk to friends, they think polystyrene can't go in the recycling bin, but polystyrene is recyclable and is being recycled," said Medico. "It's probably more valuable in the bin than other plastics destined for use by advance recycling technologies."

He's also enthusiastic about the recent founding of the Polystyrene Recycling alliance and its mission to improve recycling rates and to grow access to recycling of polystyrene in North America.

"It's great to see that there has been wide support across the industry for this important focused effort," he said.

Sustainability just makes sense, according to Medico, minimizing waste and using raw materials and resources in responsible ways.

"This is an exciting area and we continue to challenge ourselves to come up with even better ways to do business," he said. "There will be challenges along the way and progress requires smart investments, but we're focused and have forward-thinking leadership and employees who are committed to success."

As the year comes to a close, Medico points to AmSty's 2024 sustainability report, "Building Momentum," as the culmination of AmSty's achievements and its vision moving forward.