This data is live from Alchemy

Our proprietary blockchain-secured platform

Data last verified: Thursday, 03/28/2024

Ocean-bound plastic

Plastic Bank operates under the global standard defined by Jenna Jambeck. Ocean-bound plastic is defined as plastic that has not yet found its way into the ocean but is classified as "mismanaged waste". That is, plastic that is not being (formally) collected, is not likely to be collected, and is found within 50km of an ocean-bound waterway or coastal area.

Community Members

Individuals within a recycling community who collect plastic and exchange it at a Plastic Bank collection branch for secure income and life-improving benefits.

Equivalent Bottles Stopped

The amount of ocean-bound plastic collected and recycled in our recycling communities converted into bottles. Conversion rate is 50 bottles per kg (the average weight of a 500mL bottle is ~20g)

Recycling Communities

Community of plastic collectors living within 50 kilometres of ocean-bound waterways involved in plastic collection and its exchange at Plastic Bank collection points.

Alchemy

Alchemy is the blockchain platform that powers the Plastic Bank app. It enables fully traceable recycling processes, secures income for recycling community members and tailors impact reports for our stewards.

187 K 2022 attendees pledge to become Ocean Stewards

Minutes to read: 1 minute

Plastic Bank Booth

 

It’s a wrap for this year’s K Show! While the world’s no. 1 rubber and plastic trade fair has ended, the quest for Ocean Stewardship for some attendees has just started. 

For the duration of trade fair, the Plastic Bank team had meaningful conversations with individuals pained by the degradation of our ocean caused by plastic pollution and interested in finding sustainable solutions that empower a true circular economy. 

Our commitment at K was to stop 50 plastic bottles from flowing into the ocean, for each person who signed up to become an Ocean Steward at our booth. Throughout the event, 187 individuals pledged to steward the collection of ocean-bound plastic and empower collection communities in South East Asia, Latin America, and Africa. That’s a total of 9,350 bottles gathered by our collection community members.

Group photo

 

To further the conversation about ocean plastic, our Founder David Katz joined “The power of blue-sky thinking for a future with plastics” fireside chat with Marco ten Bruggencate, President Plastics Europe and Commercial VP EMEA Dow, on the seventh day of the event. David shared how Plastic Bank is revealing value in plastic waste and helping alleviate poverty for communities in the world’s most vulnerable coastal areas.

You, too, can become an Ocean Steward and turn off the tap to plastic pollution. Watch David’s fireside chat at K 2022 and find out how you can get involved.