Chemical recycling to be discussed and sustainability stories shared Feb. 5.

KINGSPORT, Tennessee

Two Eastman team members will speak at GreenBiz 20, where more than 1,500 leaders from business, academia and nongovernment organizations will explore the latest sustainable business trends. The annual conference will be at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn Phoenix,
Feb. 4–6.

  • Holli Alexander, Sustainability Strategic Initiatives Manager, will speak on a panel discussion titled, "Recycling: Breaking it Down and Building the Market," from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 5. The session will explain the chemical recycling landscape and its role within a company's portfolio of circular economy solutions.
  • Cathy Combs, Director of Sustainability, will speak on "How to Shape Your Sustainability Story" from 1:45 to 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 5. In that workshop, corporate sustainability leaders will share their process for creating their story and how they use it in marketing communications.

Alexander, who joined Eastman in 2005, has helped guide the company's thinking as it responds to global challenges, including new Eastman recycling methods that break plastic down to the molecular level for a wide range of reuse.

"With the introduction of our Advanced Circular Recycling solutions, we now have the opportunity to recycle a much broader mix of materials than is feasible in mechanical recycling. With mechanical and chemical recycling, we all have the opportunity to create a truly circular economy," Alexander said.

Combs has been with Eastman for thirty-five years in a variety of roles. She is passionate about integrating sustainability, strategy, innovation and business perspectives to tackle some of the big problems facing our world. She and her team are contributing to Eastman's ambition to transform tomorrow by revolutionizing the materials that shape it today.

"We are at a tipping point with sustainability," Combs said. "Consumers and brands are requiring it, and our customers are demanding it. As you look at the commitments big brands have made with sustainability, we have to deliver the right solutions."

For more information on GreenBiz 20, go to https://www.greenbiz.com/events/greenbiz-forum/phoenix/2020.

About Eastman

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive and diverse company, Eastman employs approximately 14,500 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2019 revenues of approximately $9.3 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA.

About Eastman in the circular economy

In 2019, Eastman began commercial-scale chemical recycling for a broad set of waste plastics that would otherwise be landfilled or incinerated, or worse, end up in the environment. Eastman Advanced Circular Recycling technologies process waste plastics traditional mechanical recycling methods cannot—including polyesters, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene—derived from a variety of sources, including single-use plastics, textiles, and carpet. These technologies provide a true circular solution of endless recycling for materials, allowing them to be reused repeatedly. For more information, visit eastman.eco.

Media Contact

Brad Lifford
1-423-229-6543
blifford@eastman.com