The US Plastics Pact (USPP) has named Crystal Bayliss as executive director, after several months as interim director following the departure of CEO and Executive Director Jonathan Quinn.
Prior to acting in the interim role, Bayliss was director of strategy and engagement for the group.
USPP lauded her longtime leadership within the group, and said she had “played an important role in guiding the organization through a rapidly changing sustainability landscape.”
Susan Fife-Ferris, vice chair of the board of directors, said, “Crystal’s unwavering commitment to USPP’s mission, combined with her collaborative approach and practical perspective, make her the right leader for USPP today. She has earned the trust and respect of USPP’s staff, Activators, and Board through her steady leadership and dedication to helping organizations navigate complexity and move their work forward. We are excited for her to lead USPP into its next chapter.”
In a press release, USPP said Bayliss “brings experience in sustainability, supply chain and procurement, giving her a practical understanding of the challenges organizations face as they work to meet customer demand for more sustainable materials, prepare for emerging extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements, and implement changes that align with their business objectives.”
“I am honored to serve as Executive Director of USPP,” said Bayliss. “There is no single blueprint for progress. Organizations are approaching this work from different starting points and with different priorities. The USPP can play an important role by creating opportunities for Activators to learn from one another, share practical experience, and identify approaches that work within their own organizations. I look forward to strengthening this voluntary community and helping our Activators navigate what comes next.”
In its most recent report, USPP highlighted progress made by its members (known as Activators), and pointed out that recycling rates remain constrained by infrastructure gaps, lackluster end-market demand and inconsistent national data, echoing concerns voiced by stakeholders throughout the plastics recycling industry.
In 2020, the group embarked on a five-year plan called Roadmap to 2025, largely focusing on identifying the challenges facing the plastics industry as stakeholders worked their way toward ambitious voluntary targets for 2025.
In June 2024, the Pact updated and extended its five-year goals, in Roadmap 2.0. The changes included more specific PCR targets based on material and end use, implementing a list of “problematic and unnecessary materials” that was developed during the initial five-year phase, and adding a target based on reusable packaging systems.
The Plastics Pact is one of several interconnected pacts globally that were formed to help plastics stakeholders meet pledges made under the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative.
This year, USPP’s goals include:
- publish updated technical design guidance for packaging
- launch a new source reduction workstream to help signatories with elimination, redesign and packaging format changes to reduce the use of virgin plastic
- publish a position paper on composting infrastructure and compostable packaging acceptance
