Polymers in Liquid Formulations (PLFs)

$125 billion annually The value of PLFs made, used and never recovered each year

36 million tonnes Enough PLFs to fill Wembley Stadium
32 times over are made annually

Millions of products PLFs are ingredients found everywhere – from paints to cosmetics

10 industry leaders We have launched a sustainability task force with members that include BASF, Walgreens Boots, Dow and Unilever

Very few outside of the chemical industries will have heard of polymers in liquid formulations – or PLFs – but almost everyone in the world interacts with them on a daily basis.

Found in millions of consumer and industrial products, they are an intrinsic part of our lives – from the paints on our walls to the shampoo and detergents in our cupboards. In fact, 36 million tonnes of these materials (enough to fill Wembley Stadium 32 times over) are made and sold for $125 billion each year.

Despite their importance, the way that PLFs are made, used and disposed of is putting unnecessary strain on the environment by releasing carbon dioxide into our atmosphere, using up the earth’s finite resources and generating physical waste. These issues create risks for all parts of the value chain, from monomer producers to product formulators and waste management companies.

At the Royal Society of Chemistry, we are leading the way in convening knowledge and stakeholders in the PLFs value chain to make PLFs more sustainable.

Is your business part of the PLF supply chain?

If you would like to get involved in our work to make PLFs more sustainable, you may be interested in our Synergy programme.

Synergy brings together businesses working in different industries to tackle complex chemistry topics. Through the programme, businesses develop new ways of working collaboratively to reduce risks, cut costs, deal with environmental issues and bring solutions to market faster.

To find out more please get in touch.