Plastic Bank, a social enterprise aiming to change the global supply chain for recycled ocean-bound plastic, has announced that it has prevented 2 billion plastic bottles from entering the ocean.
Its global partnership with SC Johnson, a manufacturer of household consumer brands such as Windex, Mr Muscle, and Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day, has accounted for more than half of this environmental achievement while providing additional income for people in some of the world's most vulnerable communities.
Ocean Plastic Waste
Two billion plastic bottles are the equivalent of more than 40 million kilograms of plastic that would have otherwise found its way into the ocean, as 100% of the plastic is collected within 30 miles of an ocean or waterway in countries without a formal waste collection infrastructure.
With more than 8 million metric tons of plastic estimated to pollute oceans every year, Plastic Bank and SC Johnson's global partnership is working to help eliminate plastic waste and find local solutions to this global crisis.
Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson, said, "Preventing the equivalent of 2 billion plastic bottles from polluting our ocean ecosystems is an incredible feat, and SC Johnson is proud to play a large part in that achievement as we work toward our vision for a waste-free world.
"Our partnership with Plastic Bank is one of the many actions we are taking around the world to reduce waste, increase our use of recyclable plastic in our products and support underserved communities."
David Katz, founder and CEO of Plastic Bank, added, "Plastic pollution and its impact on our oceans is one of the world's most significant challenges. The collection of 2 billion ocean-bound plastic bottles is a testament to the fact that each of us can be a hero in reducing plastic waste while improving the lives of people who collect it.
"Our Heroes – SC Johnson, the collectors, other partners, branch owners, contributors and employees – are stewarding business, consumption, lives and the planet towards regeneration."
Plastic Bank And SC Johnson Partnership
The partnership between Plastic Bank and SC Johnson has taken a number of steps to prevent plastic waste from entering the oceans.
The duo created 379 collection centres across Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brazil since 2018.
They stopped more than 20 million kilograms of plastic, the equivalent of 1 billion plastic bottles, from disrupting ocean ecosystems.
The partners also launched 100% recycled ocean-bound plastic bottles in two of SC Johnson's home cleaning brands – Windex in North America and Mr Muscle in the UK and Ireland.
Lastly, it provided more than 22,000 people with additional income.
In reaching the 2 billion bottle milestone, Plastic Bank worked with more than 30,000 collectors at more than 500 collection points across the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt.
Collectors in Plastic Bank's ecosystems exchange plastic waste for bonuses that help improve household income and accessibility to basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, health insurance, and digital connectivity.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Conor Farrelly. For more Packaging And Design news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
