Large brand owners and manufacturers have formed an effort aimed at diverting millions of pounds of plastic material that could potentially end up as marine debris.
Large brand owners and manufacturers have formed an effort aimed at diverting millions of pounds of plastic material that could potentially end up as marine debris.
One of the world’s largest footwear manufacturers sold 1 million pairs of shoes last year made partially with recovered marine plastics, and it expects to sell another 5 million this year.
Multiple efforts that aim to gather information or provide a funding source for ocean plastics cleanup have recently been announced.
A $1 million grant from the Coca-Cola Foundation will kickstart a program to buy lidded recycling carts for coastal U.S. communities.
Many groups and organizations made announcements for World Oceans Day, which was observed Friday, June 8. The following is a roundup of some of the key details that have come out of statements and reports in the runup to the celebration.
This story originally appeared in the February 2016 issue of Plastics Recycling Update.
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Conrad MacKerron
In the last two years, there has been a positive shift by previously recalcitrant brands to accept the importance of packaging recycling as part of total product life cycle and to commit to increasing packaging recyclability.
An improvement in virgin feedstocks allows better performance in recycled-content HDPE products, and two companies cooperate to supply a continuous PET-to-textile-fibers line.
One of the world’s largest electronics manufacturers will incorporate recovered marine plastics into packaging for one product line.
A new report emphasizes improved collection and separation efforts – which lead to higher recycling rates – as a key way to prevent plastics from entering water bodies.
