Dow has been included on FORTUNE’s 2019 "Change the World" list, a ranking of 52 companies that have made an important social or environmental impact through their profit-making strategy and operations. Listed as number 26 in the ranking, Dow is recognized for its program to pilot the use of recycled plastics in roads as part of the company’s long-standing commitment to reduce plastic waste and drive sustainability solutions.
“Dow is honored to be recognized by FORTUNE for advancing new applications and markets for recycled plastics,” said Dow CEO Jim Fitterling. “By developing solutions such as this, we are demonstrating that plastics, from design to disposal, have tremendous value and can continue to benefit people and society in new ways.”
Dow has collaborated with the value chain to build nearly 100 km of asphalt roads containing recycled plastic across Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America. The projects, some of which are enabled by Dow’s ELVALOY™ RET asphalt modification technology, have diverted nearly 200 metric tons of plastic, equivalent to 50 million flexible pouches, from becoming litter or entering a landfill. The roads that are polymer-modified are often more resistant to corrosion from weather or vehicles than neat asphalt and can therefore reduce the number of dangerous potholes or traffic jams.
Dow believes that plastic waste has value and can be transformed into new products and energy. In addition to plastic roads, Dow is working with key partners in South America to use recycled plastics to develop construction materials for schools in Colombia. Dow is also at the forefront of developing and scaling chemical recycling technology to take recycled plastic waste back to feedstock for the creation of new products. By reimagining new ways to reuse, recycle and repurpose plastic waste, Dow and its partners are leading the way in the development of innovative circular economy solutions.
FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list ranks companies using factors including measurable social impact, business results, degree of innovation and corporate integration.
