NS signs pledge to eliminate plastic pollution

Norfolk Southern Railway last week signed a pledge, dubbed Operation Clean Sweep, to help eliminate pollution caused by micro plastics being released into marine ecosystems.

The American Chemistry Council and Plastics Industry Association developed the pledge, which is part of an international program that provides guidance for companies to help reduce plastics pollution. 

NS, a key partner in the plastics supply chain, expressed its support by becoming the most recent U.S. Class I to sign the pledge, NS officials said in a press release. 

NS Chief Marketing Officer Alan Shaw signed the pledge on behalf of the railroad, joining several of its customers to raise awareness for the environmental concern, company officials said.

"As part of the pledge, Norfolk Southern will work to achieve zero loss of plastic resin into the environment," said Shaw. "We are developing an extensive education campaign to raise awareness among our employees and we will increase our scrutiny to make sure the hopper cars we transport are properly secured and sealed."

The pledge becomes part of other NS actions and commitments aimed at protecting the environment, such as carbon mitigation programs, low-emission locomotives, land conservation and living shoreline projects, said NS Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin.