Wednesday, November 18
2:00 pm - 4:05 pm
The Future of Sustainable Plastic Alternatives and the Impact of the SUPD on Innovation
We have all seen and heard about the negative effects of plastics in the environment. The numbers are quite sobering, over 18 trillion pounds of plastic has been produced over the past 70 years and much of it is somewhere in the environment including waterways and oceans. Consumers are aware of how plastics are impacting wildlife including whales, seals, birds, turtles, etc. All of this “negative press” has made plastics a dirty word to consumers. At the same time, the pandemic has demonstrated on a global scale that plastics play a critical role in saving lives and providing the PPE products – face masks, gowns, etc. - needed to protect us all. Plastics are not going away; however we must continue to design and be more responsible to minimize or eliminate social or environmental impacts. Through research, innovation and consumer education, industry is aggressively pursuing sustainable solutions to help solve the problem of plastics in the environment. In fact, there is a critical need for synthetic films and fibers in various forms for everyday life to provide consumer convenience and save lives. These materials are essential and the through further innovation the industry can provide long-term sustainable solutions that reduce our plastics footprint.
This presentation will review K-C’s sustainability 2030 strategy including innovation pathways for plastic alternatives. In addition, the presentation will discuss how government and industry can work together to promote solutions that achieve a cleaner environment for all. Europe is leading the world in plastics legislation and will be held as the benchmark for the rest of the globe; therefore, this presentation will also discuss the European Union’s Single Use Plastics Directive.
» Bryan Haynes, Ph.D.
Senior Technical Director, Global Nonwovens, Kimberly-Clark Corporation
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Haynes received his B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering and Ph.D.in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. During his graduate studies Dr. Haynes specialized in the aerodynamics and polymer processing of the meltblowing process which was funded by Exxon Chemical Company. He taught full time in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering prior to joining Kimberly-Clark Corporation as a Research Scientist in 1992. While working at Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Dr. Haynes has held various positions in research and engineering including an assignment at the Lexington Mill in North Carolina serving as the Technical Team Manager. Dr. Haynes has published several papers and has obtained 44 U.S. Patents and 16 Trade Secrets during his Kimberly-Clark career. He currently holds the position of Senior Technical Director for Global Nonwovens. Prior to his current role he served as the Director of Research and Engineering in Global Nonwovens where his team was responsible for the front-end innovation portfolio and prototyping capabilities including the pilot facilities supporting Kimberly-Clark’s various businesses. Dr. Haynes has received several awards including the Kimberly-Clark Technical Excellence Award, the 2012 Rodney D. Chipp Memorial Award from the Society of Women Engineers, and most recently he received the 2017 INDA Lifetime Technical Achievement Award. He is also an Adjunct Professor at The University of Tennessee in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering. He serves on several Industrial Advisory Boards including Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology; Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Georgia; and the Nonwovens Institute at N.C. State University. He also serves on the Board of Directors as Secretary for Georgia FIRST which is a non-profit organization that supports STEM programs in Georgia. He is also on the Board of Directors for INDA. Dr. Haynes is married with two daughters.
