AN-EL Switch and Electrical Appliances Ind. Inc. has been certified by PAGEV with the OCS Certificate due to its determined steps towards achieving the targets included in the Operation Clean Sweep guide documents in order to prevent polluting the environment with plastic particles and dust. In addition to the ISO 14001 Environmental management system, AN-EL fulfills its global citizenship responsibility by operating in accordance with the OCS movement and in line with the UN Global Compact principles, of which it has been a participant for 12 years.

The increasing presence of plastics, which threatens living things on our planet, is a concern. Plastic waste reaches the soil, waterways and eventually the ocean, contributing to global pollution. Most plastic waste comes from mismanaged waste. Due to the impact of microplastics on this environmental problem, marine scientists are more often reporting that birds, turtles and fish eat a wide variety of plastic objects that can be harmful to their health and even deadly. The vast majority (80%) of this waste originates from land. Many of these items are waste from used consumer goods that are potentially carelessly discarded or unintentionally lost.

However, some of this waste consists of pellets (plastic particles) that will be converted into plastic products. While consumers are responsible for the proper disposal of used products, the plastics industry for its part must ensure the containment of the products it processes, namely plastic pellets, flakes and powders. Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) specifically aims to prevent the discharge of these particles into water streams and the marine environment.

OCS is a set of rules and practices to prevent pellets from being released into the environment. Plastic pellets are not household waste. They are raw materials. They should be kept outside of their natural habitat.

As AN-EL, while applying environmental, safety and quality management principles in our activities, a management system has been established to prevent pellet loss that may occur at different stages throughout the workflow. Risks were identified and precautions were taken. We respect natural life and all living beings’ right to live.