What is Plastic Neutrality?

We talk a lot about plastic neutrality and how we love to help brands become plastic neutral. But what do we actually mean when we say plastic neutral and how do you become it?

WHAT IS PLASTIC NEUTRALITY?

Plastic neutrality means that for every amount of plastic created, an equal amount of plastic waste is retrieved from or prevented from entering the environment to be appropriately disposed of - either recycled or repurposed.

This can be through waste management efforts, recycling, or the use of plastic credits. The overall goal is to not create a surplus of (virgin-)plastic. So, for every 1kg of plastic discarded or produced, the equivalent amount is removed from the environment or intercepted before it can leak into nature.

Plastic neutrality’s central mission is to prevent plastic from entering the oceans and other habitats, which is obviously why we’re so big on it. As more and more plastic enters the seas each year, all of us need to either cancel or massively reduce our plastic output if we have hope of tackling the issue.




WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT THAT A BUSINESS IS PLASTIC NEUTRAL?

It’s a practical solution to a very pressing problem. The onus should not be on individuals alone, but on corporations and companies as well. Businesses create a lot of waste, some of which can’t be helped, but their overall footprints can still be minimized. 
While it is of course important for businesses to take responsibility for the impact their activities have on our environment, it also makes good business sense.

As consumers become more aware of plastic and its impact on the environment, more and more of them are looking for companies whose values align with theirs. Concerns about plastic waste are growing amongst consumers, with one in two people in Europe stating that the amount of plastic being produced and entering the environment is a worry for them.

Consumers want to know how much plastic is being produced and discarded, not just from the packaging used to pack their finished product, but the excess waste caused behind the scenes in factories and warehouses. Changing your habits sets a good precedent for consumers, and makes your brand more attractive to them.

HOW CAN BUSINESSES BECOME PLASTIC NEUTRAL?
There are a couple of ways companies can go plastic neutral or even plastic neutral plus, if they want to go for broke. 

Some companies go plastic neutral by introducing a closed-loop waste model. Businesses such as cosmetics company Lush or hairbrush brand Tangle Teezer encourage their customers to bring back their plastic packaging or old products so they can be repurposed.

These brands also strive to use recycled plastic for the majority of their packaging or forego plastic entirely if they can help it. While Lush and Tangle Teezer are great examples of companies that have introduced their own circular economic model, not every business is capable of achieving this.

For the companies that can’t recycle or reduce their own plastic waste, what can they do?

That’s where we come in.



With our plastic credits, your company can become plastic neutral and help solve the ocean plastic dilemma.

Decide how much plastic needs to be retrieved from the environment to make your business plastic neutral, and we do all the work for you.

Our local collection partners will recover the equivalent amount of plastic before it can enter the environment to be given a new lease of life.

The amount selected by you can be anywhere from 1000kg to multiple tonnes.
Every bit helps in the quest to keep our oceans plastic-free.

Want to turn back the tide on marine plastic?
Drop us a line at Rodney@cleanhub.com to find out how you can get started.