From Oceans plastic pollution the problem
Just imagine: plastic waste, which accounts for 80% of marine pollution, is growing at a staggering 12 million tonnes a year.
The consequences are dire: marine life suffers, ingested or entangled in the plastic debris. Another source of danger is that the plastic breaks down into insidious microplastics and seeps throughout the food chain.
New hope: Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP)
POP logo on products
Innovative approaches are paving the way in the fight against ocean plastics. One of these is Prevented Ocean Plastic, or POPs for short.
POP is a high-quality recycled plastic sourced from high-risk coastal areas. By collecting and recycling plastic bottles left behind in vulnerable coastal regions, such as beaches, the POPs programme ensures that these plastics do not end up in the ocean.
Why is POP different?
POPs is different because, unlike traditional recycling, it focuses on prevention, preventing plastic from entering water. Once a plastic bottle enters the ocean, it's too late. Sunlight and salt water quickly erode the plastic, making recycling mostly impossible. This makes the removal of ocean plastic a clean-up effort rather than a recycling issue.
The aim of POPs is therefore to prevent plastic from ever entering the water.
What positive effects does POPs have on the environment?
First, POPs can greatly prevent plastic pollution in the oceans, reducing the damage to marine life and ecosystems. The POPs initiative has prevented more than 1,000 tonnes of ocean plastic pollution per month off the coasts of Southeast Asia, South America and the Galapagos Islands, Central America and the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and East Africa. In addition, a programme developed by Bantam Materials, the recycled plastics business responsible for POPs, has developed more, has helped recycle more than 10 000 000 000 bottles.
Secondly, choosing a POP bottle can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The original, "virgin" plastic production involves the extraction and processing of fossil fuels, which is responsible for significant amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
In contrast, recycled plastic requires less energy and resources, resulting in lower emissions and a smaller carbon footprint.
Thirdly, choosing POPs means supporting the circular economy. Rather than following a linear model in which materials are used once and discarded after use, the circular economy promotes the reuse and recycling of materials.
CYCLE and POP:
CYCLE, our passion is to protect our diverse oceans and say no to ocean plastics. That's why we wholeheartedly support the use of Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) in our packaging. We are delighted to introduce our latest product, our summer edition All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate, available in a refreshing grapefruit and lemongrass fragrance in an innovative POP bottle.
By choosing POPs, we aim to contribute to the preservation of our diverse and clean oceans. We are also determined to drive positive change within the industry, promoting a shift towards sustainable packaging solutions.
