Ocean Plastic Trash Into Bottles

As someone who picks up beach trash almost on a daily basis, I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of plastic that is on the beach. On an average day, I pick up over 30 plastic bottles, 15 beach toys, 40 straws, 100 pieces of plastic packaging, 7 shoes a day, 1 frisbee, 50 bottle caps, 4 plastic bags, 1 lighter and that is just a start. What I miss is swept out to our ocean. This is only in 1/2 mile stretch of a 5 mile beach.

I just Gotta Eco Ya

• Plastic constitutes approximately 90% of all trash floating on the ocean’s surface, with 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile
• Every year, at least one million sea birds and 100,000 sharks, turtles, dolphins and whales die from eating plastic.
•  The average American will throw away approximately 185 pounds of plastic per year.
• 8% of the world’s oil is used for plastic production.

It’s sad.. but luckily a company Method is reusing beach trash to make plastic bottles.

From Beach to Bottle: Method Launches World’s First Product with Packaging Made from Ocean Plastic

SAN FRANCISCO  – Environmentally-conscious cleaning product company Method is launching its latest innovation in sustainable packaging – bottles made from a blend of plastic recovered from the ocean and post-consumer recycled plastic. This limited edition packaging is for a new Method product, a two-in-one hand and dish soap, available exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide.

“Our goal with ocean plastic packaging is to show that the most viable solution to our plastic pollution problem is using the plastic that’s already on the planet. Method’s ocean plastic bottle demonstrates in the extreme that recycling is possible.” said Adam Lowry, Method co-founder and chief greenskeeper. “By recycling and reusing plastic to make our bottles, we turn off the tap of plastic flowing into our oceans and take the first, most important step toward solving the ocean plastic problem.”

Scientists estimate that several million tons of plastic make their way into the oceans every year, polluting the environment and hurting marine populations. Through this new use of recovered ocean plastic, Method hopes to demonstrate how business can tackle environmental problems, and that there are smarter ways to make plastic rather than using virgin material. Nearly all of Method’s packaging is made from 100 percent post- consumer recycled material, which is an effective way to reuse plastic and prevent it from ending up in landfills and oceans.

“Method is really demonstrating how smart business can make a big impact for our planet,” said Errol Schweizer, executive global grocery coordinator for Whole Foods Market. “We’re proud be partnering with them to raise awareness around this global issue and showcase new ways to use and reuse the plastics that are already on our earth.”

Over the past year and a half, Method employees have worked with volunteers from Sustainable Coastlines Hawai’i and the Kōkua Hawai’i Foundation to hand-collect several tons of plastic from the beaches of Hawai’i, where the kinds of rigid, opaque plastic needed to make this packaging are most abundant. A portion of the product’s proceeds will go to these two Hawaiian organizations as part of Method’s efforts to establish an ongoing business model and supply chain for collecting and sorting plastic marine debris.

Method partnered with innovative recycler Envision Plastics to develop a new recycling process to make the bottles. The process allows rigid, opaque plastics recovered from the ocean to be cleaned, blended and then remanufactured into high quality recycled plastic that is the same quality as virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic.The style of this new packaging is a departure from Method’s usual bright pops of color. Method’s intention was to leave the plastic in its natural state, and the gray color is a result of the chopping, washing and blending undergoes during recycling. Inspiration for the package texture was drawn from a sea urchin, with small ridges running the length of the bottle.

Method’s new two-in-one soap is now available exclusively at Whole Foods Market stores and on methodhome.com. It is available in two fragrances – sea minerals and sweet water at the suggested retail price of $4.99

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About Method Founded in 2000, Method is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. Today, Method is the leading innovator of premium eco-conscious home and personal care products. Method can be found in more than 40,000 retail locations throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Major national retailers include Target, Lowe’s Home Improvement Centers, Whole Foods and Bed Bath & Beyond. For more information, visit www.methodhome.com