FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Plastic Bank
1M
What do I receive as part of the 1 Million Bottles Impact Program?
- Verified plastic collection, with downloadable 1 Million Bottles impact certificate
- Beautifully crafted certificate hand-signed from our Founder to proudly display in your office
- Your company’s logo to be featured on the 1 Million Bottles Club page at plasticbank.com
- Ready to use social media template and video asset customized for your impact
- License to Plastic Bank branded badges and logo in marketing collateral, office signage, sustainability report.
- Unique Conversion Page showing your business’ plastic bottles collected and a unique QR code that your customers can scan to land on it.
- PurposeGPT, your AI assistant to answer any questions and enable you to get the most out of your impact program
- Monthly newsletter updates
How do I log into my Impact Account?
Your Impact Account can be accessed from: https://members.plasticbank.com/ or by clicking the account button on our website navigation bar. You will need your unique username and password to log in.
How do you ensure the impact is taking place?
All plastic offsets are secured by our proprietary blockchain-secured platform which offers end-to-end traceability. Plastic Bank assigns unique ownership of the entire transaction chain, from the member who collects the plastic to the processor who recycles it through Plastic Bank’s proprietary blockchain. This offers traceability of collection bonuses awarded to members, confirms material recycling at our processor partner facilities, and offers proof of social impact. Every transaction has a unique claim ID number that can only be owned by one purchaser.
How do you calculate impact in bottles?
One kilogram of plastic is equivalent to 50 (500ml) single-use plastic bottles, based on our Bottle2KG research study involving over 100 collection branches across the Philippines and Indonesia. Learn more here about our research!
Who are the collection community members?
An individual who is over 18 years of age, registered through the PlasticBank® app, and gathers discarded plastic from the environment is a collection community member. Some are full-time members who have worked in informal waste collection for many years, while others work with us on a part-time basis to supplement other sources of income. Regardless of how much or how often our collection community members collect plastic, age-verified collection members can exchange plastic for additional income and social benefits at their local collection branch.
What do you do with the plastic after it’s collected?
The plastic collected through our collection communities is delivered to our processing partners for reprocessing into Social Plastic® feedstock and reintegrated into products and packaging by partner organizations and brands.
Explain the work you do and what communities benefit.
Plastic Bank identifies vulnerable coastlines at the intersection of plastic pollution and poverty across the world that would benefit from plastic collection infrastructure. We then empower local entrepreneurs to establish collection branches in convenient locations and help gather collection communities together to collect discarded plastic from the environment. Community members exchange their collections at the branch for additional income and access to social, helping them to pave a path out of poverty and become changemakers by reducing plastic pollution. Collection members and collection branches are registered through the PlasticBank® app that records every transaction, enables traceable collection, secures income, and verifies reporting.
About Plastic Bank
What sets Plastic Bank apart in terms of impact, beyond just collecting plastic from the environment?
At Plastic Bank, our commitment to creating a regenerative impact on both the environment and communities sets us apart in the realm of plastic collection and recycling. Here’s how we extend our influence beyond the basic collection of plastic:
1. Blockchain technology: We utilize a proprietary blockchain platform that ensures the traceability of every kilogram of collected plastic. This technology guarantees the authenticity of the impact, securing income for our collection members and providing reliable data for our partners and the public.
2. In-country operations: We maintain a robust presence with over 500 collection branches in communities on the frontlines of poverty and plastic pollution. Our teams in Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, the Philippines, Thailand, and Cameroon work closely within these communities, offering capacity building and training to members on recycling, financial inclusion, and utilization of Plastic Bank benefits. Our teams also ensure strict adherence to our Code of Conduct, maintaining high standards of practice and ethics in all interactions.
3. Impact Account premium features: Our partners and members can effectively manage and communicate their contributions through their Impact Account. This platform offers exclusive access to real-time data, authentic stories, images, and videos from our collection communities. Additionally, it includes tailored web pages, ready-to-use in-store materials, and downloadable impact certificates that detail the amount of plastic collected through their efforts. These tools are designed to help partners and members share their commitment to sustainability and their role in the purpose economy with their customers.
4. Social and economic benefits: In addition to paying above-market prices for collected plastic, we provide our collection members with access to several social benefits, in line with their needs. Based on location, our members gain access to benefits including health and life insurance, digital connectivity, grocery vouchers, school supplies, zero-interest loans, and other fintech services.
Social Fintech
A financial technology enterprise that aims at solving (or at least having a positive impact on) social problems while ensuring access to financial services and products for the unbanked.
Can Plastic Bank share some general sustainability facts we can leverage?
Check out the Plastic Bank blog to learn more about poverty, plastic pollution, and how humanity can overcome both.
How can I reduce my Plastic Footprint and contribute?
The first step is to start where you are with what you have. Here are some recommendations to get you started:
- Find out how much plastic you consume through our Plastic Footprint Calculator, then take steps to reduce your footprint with one of our Impact Certificates. Begin with small changes that can make a big impact.
- Avoid single-use plastic. Choose reusable containers and bottles instead.
- Buy groceries in bulk to reduce plastic packaging waste.
- Talk to your local grocers and look for products that are helping to restore the damage that’s been done to our environment.
- Check out our Partnership Programs to find out how your business can get involved.
What is a plastic footprint? How do I calculate it?
A plastic footprint is the amount of plastic an individual, family, workforce, product or brand of products uses and disposes of in a specific period of time. The average plastic footprint of an individual is 84 kilograms each year. Check out our Plastic Footprint Calculator to find out how much you use and dispose of, then take steps to reduce your footprint through small changes that can make a big impact.
How can I engage my school or place of worship to be part of the solution?
Through our Community Partnership Program, we collaborate with schools, places of worship, establishments, and institutions to spread awareness about plastic pollution and the Plastic Bank solution. We set up accessible dropboxes on premises where your community can drop plastic from their homes for recycling. The schools, places of worship, establishments, and institutions then exchange the plastic for income to help launch and fund social services programs for the larger community. Contact Us if your community is interested in partnering with us.
How can I bring Plastic Bank to my country?
Visit the Global Impact page to learn about our country and community expansion roadmap. You can also sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on our growing impact worldwide.
How much discarded plastic has Plastic Bank stopped from polluting the environment?
The most up-to-date figures can be found at plasticbank.com.
What do you do with the plastic after it’s collected?
The plastic collected through our collection communities is delivered to our processing partners for reprocessing into Social Plastic® feedstock and reintegrated into products and packaging by partner organizations and brands.
Why are you called a bank?
We reveal the true economic value of plastic, making it too valuable to be left in the environment. In doing so, we’ve created a system for plastic exchange similar to any other currency exchange. Our PlasticBank® app uses fintech and blockchain technology to securely execute plastic transactions. The app’s digital wallet is often the first savings account that our members own. For those reasons, we call ourselves Plastic Bank.
Explain the work you do and what communities benefit.
Plastic Bank identifies vulnerable coastlines at the intersection of plastic pollution and poverty across the world that would benefit from plastic collection infrastructure. We then empower local entrepreneurs to establish collection branches in convenient locations and help gather collection communities together to collect discarded plastic from the environment. Community members exchange their collections at the branch for additional income and access to social, helping them to pave a path out of poverty and become changemakers by reducing plastic pollution. Collection members and collection branches are registered through the PlasticBank® app that records every transaction, enables traceable collection, secures income, and verifies reporting.
Does Plastic Bank collect the ocean plastic pollution for recycling
We believe that plastic shouldn’t flow into the ocean to start with, and before we can effectively clean plastic debris from the ocean, we must turn off the tap to single-use plastic. That is why we gather discarded plastic from the environment within 50km of the ocean, or ocean-bound waterway.
How do you choose which countries to expand into?
Plastic Bank operates in countries with high rates of plastic pollution and poverty. Many such countries lack proper waste management infrastructure and have a greater dependency on single-use packaging for clean and sterile goods. This results in a disproportionate amount of plastic pollution.
What are partner-based expansions?
Leveraging Plastic Bank’s success in activating collection communities across the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, and Egypt, Plastic Bank began to test its partner-based expansions in January 2022 by opening in Thailand. In this model, we enter into a strategic alliance with a local qualified processor to build ethical collection communities in different parts of the globe. The local qualified partner sets up Plastic Bank’s operations and implements our collection model using the PlasticBank® app. This model allows us to scale our solution faster. The deployment of this model is currently underway in Thailand with EcoBlue Limited.
What countries do you operate in?
We currently operate in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, and Egypt.
Where is Plastic Bank headquartered?
Our headquarters is located in Canada, in the beautiful city of Vancouver, British Columbia. Our HQ acts as a central hub for our fully remote, globally distributed workforce.
When was Plastic Bank founded?
Plastic Bank was founded in May 2013 by David Katz and Shaun Frankson.
“I think the real gift of that day was the realization that I didn’t need to create Plastic Bank. I needed to become the person who could. It was really a spiritual day of awakening for me. There was a still, quiet voice, unattached to outcome and meaning. It was a space that said, ‘You can become the person who makes change in the world.’”
- David Katz, on the moment he conceived Plastic Bank just before lunch on May 9, 2013.
What are Plastic Bank’s mission, vision, and values?
Our Vision
We envision a wasteless and better world where everyone is a changemaker.
Our Values
Love(v) -Serve life
Positively impacting social and economic systems requires a deep compassion for people and our planet. When making choices, we always defer to amplifying love over fighting fear.
Reveal – Seek value
By revealing the value in plastic, we’re making it too valuable to discard. By revealing the value of under-served peoples, we’re connecting the world.
Gather- Bring together
We gather the world together, then we gather materials together. Worldwide change requires a worldwide community.
Create – Breathe into existence
To create is to bring to life something that did not exist before. Together, the world is calling upon us to create through our words and actions.
Our Mission
Gathering for prosperity.
Sales Advisors
Is Plastic Bank a multi-level marketing (MLM) company?
Nope! We never require advisors to recruit other advisors. Our Sales Advisors’ primary income comes from direct sales. Sponsoring other advisors and sharing a portion of the billings is completely optional and unlikely (in the short term) to become as lucrative as your own direct sales. Sales Advisors are independent contractors and earn commissions on their own without any contingencies, limits, or minimums. Sales Advisors can cancel their affiliation with Plastic Bank and stop booking deals at any time, no questions asked.
How quickly can I start selling?
Quickly! Once we receive your application, we will review it quickly and set up a call with you. From there, we’ll ask you to complete a 90-minute overview training of the program. If you are as excited as we are about completing the training, you can get started right away!
Is there a minimum booking to stay active?
Nope. You are empowered to sell in accordance with your schedule and on your own terms.
What is the commission amount?
The commission program rewards both direct sales as well as sponsored sales. In other words, you’ll earn commission on your own direct sales plus on the sales of advisors you bring into the program (i.e. sponsor). You can sponsor advisors up to two deep. The commission is tiered with the highest rate on your direct sales (tier 1) and the lowest rate on your secondary advisors (tier 3).
Each Sales Advisor is an independent businessperson, whose individual success depends on their own selling efforts and the selling efforts of those they register. There is no cap. The more you and your team sell, the more commissions you make.
Check the commission rates and structure in the Business Reference Guide.
How do Plastic Bank Sales Advisors get paid?
Sales Advisors earn commissions when their clients purchase Professional Memberships. The membership is billed either monthly or annually, and the commission is earned based on when the billing occurs.
We’re proud to offer a full-service, backend commission management service. We pay out commission monthly based on completed billings.
What brands does Plastic Bank already work with?
We work with a wide variety of progressive businesses and brands that are keen to reduce their environmental footprint, promote a circular economy, and support collection communities. Check out the full list here: https://plasticbank.com/our-partners
What is my Sales Advisor selling region?
We think you’ll do best if you stick to your home city/metro area with a focus on small to medium retail businesses, local chains, and small consultancies. When you start to look around you’ll find a wealth of these types of businesses close to home. All of which are excellent candidates for the Professional Membership. You don’t need to go far!
Where do Plastic Bank Sales Advisors work?
You can work from anywhere. All you need is a love for sustainability, a WiFi connection, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a get-to-work attitude. Understanding the likely businesses in your region and a few folks in your network to call is also a great start.
How do I become a Plastic Bank Sales Advisor? Do I need any certifications?
As soon as the Sales Advisor is accepted into the program and completes the onboarding, they are good to go. While past experience in sales and/or the sustainability field is helpful, it is possible to learn the ropes along the way both through the required Plastic Bank training and external sales training (there are lots of resources out there, from YouTube to Coursera to LinkedIn Learning).
The first step to becoming a Sales Advisor is to apply to join Plastic Bank. Fill out the details on this page and you’ll be prompted with a survey to tell us more about yourself. Once you apply, we’ll be in touch if it’s a good fit. From there, you’ll be invited into our program and can get going.
What does a Plastic Bank Sales Advisor do?
The sales advisor connects with local businesses and advises them on enhancing their purpose and mission by adding a sustainability program that consumers care about. That program is our Professional Membership, a monthly impact contribution guaranteeing the collection of a pre-set amount of plastic bottles by our collection communities.
What is a Plastic Bank Sales Advisor? Is it the same as a sales representative or business development representative?
The terms Sales Advisor, Sales Representative, and Business Development Representative can be used interchangeably. We like the term Advisor as it showcases the scope of the role and the relationship you have with your customers. But you may hear us use all three!
Personal
What is the Membership process?
We’ve simplified creating impact for small businesses. Below is a step-by-step guide for entrepreneurs to understand how the process flows:
- Choose the membership plan that matches your sustainability budget and goals.
- Enter your company name, agree to the Terms & Conditions, and click ‘Get Started’ to checkout.
- Enter your contact details to create an account. Remember to save your password, as you will need it to log in to your Impact Account.
- Within 24 hours, your impact certificate is available to download via email or in your Impact Account.
- Complete your onboarding checklist in your Impact Account, download marketing resources, use Purpose-GPT, and set up your Tribe Conversion Page to celebrate your new membership.
- Your membership renews automatically each month! Watch your Impact Account update with your impact totals and expect newsletter updates on the communities you are impacting sent directly to your inbox.
What does my company receive in exchange for the Professional Membership?
- Certified monthly impact by the number of bottles gathered, automatically funded by your monthly membership.
- License to Plastic Bank branded badges and logos for use on product packaging and in marketing collateral.
- 60+ authentic Plastic Bank images and videos from the heart of our communities.
- Customized Tribe Conversion Page, summarizing your business’ impact to date and a unique QR code that your customers can scan to land on it.
- PurposeGPT, your AI assistant to answer any questions and enable you to get the most out of your Professional Membership.
- Historical records of your Impact Certificates, with the option to download and share the impact you make.
- Pre-made social media templates to download, update, and post to your feeds, as JPEGs and editable Adobe Photoshop files.
- To add Impact when needed to customize your collection amounts.
- Monthly newsletter updates on the communities you are impacting.
- Pre-designed Retailer Toolkit, with storefront signage, decals for windows, floor, doors and cash registers, wall posters, shelf hangers, and tent cards that can be used for branding your store.
I’ve signed up for a free trial, what happens next?
Once you’ve signed up for a free trial, you can fully set up and access your Impact Account, where all features, assets, and tools are available to you! After the trial period ends, your account won’t be automatically charged, and your accumulated impact will be preserved. To regain full access to all the tools and continue to make monthly impact, you will need to purchase a Professional Membership.
What is a Plastic Bank Membership?
A monthly impact contribution guaranteeing the collection of a pre-set amount of plastic bottles to be gathered by our collection communities in Indonesia.
Professional
What is the Membership process?
We’ve simplified creating impact for small businesses. Below is a step-by-step guide for entrepreneurs to understand how the process flows:
- Choose the membership plan that matches your sustainability budget and goals.
- Enter your company name, agree to the Terms & Conditions, and click ‘Get Started’ to checkout.
- Enter your contact details to create an account. Remember to save your password, as you will need it to log in to your Impact Account.
- Within 24 hours, your impact certificate is available to download via email or in your Impact Account.
- Complete your onboarding checklist in your Impact Account, download marketing resources, use Purpose-GPT, and set up your Tribe Conversion Page to celebrate your new membership.
- Your membership renews automatically each month! Watch your Impact Account update with your impact totals and expect newsletter updates on the communities you are impacting sent directly to your inbox.
What does my company receive in exchange for the Professional Membership?
- Certified monthly impact by the number of bottles gathered, automatically funded by your monthly membership.
- License to Plastic Bank branded badges and logos for use on product packaging and in marketing collateral.
- 60+ authentic Plastic Bank images and videos from the heart of our communities.
- Customized Tribe Conversion Page, summarizing your business’ impact to date and a unique QR code that your customers can scan to land on it.
- PurposeGPT, your AI assistant to answer any questions and enable you to get the most out of your Professional Membership.
- Historical records of your Impact Certificates, with the option to download and share the impact you make.
- Pre-made social media templates to download, update, and post to your feeds, as JPEGs and editable Adobe Photoshop files.
- To add Impact when needed to customize your collection amounts.
- Monthly newsletter updates on the communities you are impacting.
- Pre-designed Retailer Toolkit, with storefront signage, decals for windows, floor, doors and cash registers, wall posters, shelf hangers, and tent cards that can be used for branding your store.
I’ve signed up for a free trial, what happens next?
Once you’ve signed up for a free trial, you can fully set up and access your Impact Account, where all features, assets, and tools are available to you! After the trial period ends, your account won’t be automatically charged, and your accumulated impact will be preserved. To regain full access to all the tools and continue to make monthly impact, you will need to purchase a Professional Membership.
What is a Plastic Bank Membership?
A monthly impact contribution guaranteeing the collection of a pre-set amount of plastic bottles to be gathered by our collection communities in Indonesia.
Professional Membership
What is the Membership process?
We’ve simplified creating impact for small businesses. Below is a step-by-step guide for entrepreneurs to understand how the process flows:
- Choose the membership plan that matches your sustainability budget and goals.
- Enter your company name, agree to the Terms & Conditions, and click ‘Get Started’ to checkout.
- Enter your contact details to create an account. Remember to save your password, as you will need it to log in to your Impact Account.
- Within 24 hours, your impact certificate is available to download via email or in your Impact Account.
- Complete your onboarding checklist in your Impact Account, download marketing resources, use Purpose-GPT, and set up your Tribe Conversion Page to celebrate your new membership.
- Your membership renews automatically each month! Watch your Impact Account update with your impact totals and expect newsletter updates on the communities you are impacting sent directly to your inbox.
What does my company receive in exchange for the Professional Membership?
- Certified monthly impact by the number of bottles gathered, automatically funded by your monthly membership.
- License to Plastic Bank branded badges and logos for use on product packaging and in marketing collateral.
- 60+ authentic Plastic Bank images and videos from the heart of our communities.
- Customized Tribe Conversion Page, summarizing your business’ impact to date and a unique QR code that your customers can scan to land on it.
- PurposeGPT, your AI assistant to answer any questions and enable you to get the most out of your Professional Membership.
- Historical records of your Impact Certificates, with the option to download and share the impact you make.
- Pre-made social media templates to download, update, and post to your feeds, as JPEGs and editable Adobe Photoshop files.
- To add Impact when needed to customize your collection amounts.
- Monthly newsletter updates on the communities you are impacting.
- Pre-designed Retailer Toolkit, with storefront signage, decals for windows, floor, doors and cash registers, wall posters, shelf hangers, and tent cards that can be used for branding your store.
I’ve signed up for a free trial, what happens next?
Once you’ve signed up for a free trial, you can fully set up and access your Impact Account, where all features, assets, and tools are available to you! After the trial period ends, your account won’t be automatically charged, and your accumulated impact will be preserved. To regain full access to all the tools and continue to make monthly impact, you will need to purchase a Professional Membership.
How do I log into my Impact Account?
Your Impact Account can be accessed from: https://members.plasticbank.com/ or by clicking the account button on our website navigation bar. You will need your unique username and password to log in.
If I purchase an annual plan, when will I receive my impact?
- By purchasing an annual plan, you agree to pay the full membership fee upfront for the entire 12-month period.
- The impact will be added to your account in 12 monthly installments. If you would like to add additional impact, users may by using the Add Impact feature. At the end of your annual cycle, your annual membership will be automatically renewed and charged to the card on file if not cancelled beforehand.
- If you choose to cancel your membership prior to the end of the 12-month period, you will not be eligible for a partial refund. Your access to the subscribed services will continue until the end of the current membership period.
How do you ensure the impact is taking place?
All plastic offsets are secured by our proprietary blockchain-secured platform which offers end-to-end traceability. Plastic Bank assigns unique ownership of the entire transaction chain, from the member who collects the plastic to the processor who recycles it through Plastic Bank’s proprietary blockchain. This offers traceability of collection bonuses awarded to members, confirms material recycling at our processor partner facilities, and offers proof of social impact. Every transaction has a unique claim ID number that can only be owned by one purchaser.
How do you calculate impact in bottles?
One kilogram of plastic is equivalent to 50 (500ml) single-use plastic bottles, based on our Bottle2KG research study involving over 100 collection branches across the Philippines and Indonesia. Learn more here about our research!
Where does Plastic Bank gather plastic?
Plastic Bank currently operates in Indonesia, the Philippines, Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, and Cameroon. Our communities in Indonesia fulfill plastic offsets from any Plastic Bank Membership.
What is a Plastic Bank Membership?
A monthly impact contribution guaranteeing the collection of a pre-set amount of plastic bottles to be gathered by our collection communities in Indonesia.
What does Plastic Bank do?
Plastic Bank is a social fintech with a global bottle deposit program that helps end poverty and stops plastic pollution.
Collection members exchange plastic for money, social benefits, and beyond. Traceable collection, secured income, and verified reporting is delivered through our blockchain-secured platform.
People and businesses reduce their environmental footprint and support communities through memberships. Members access tools to share impact, invite their customers to join, and grow.
Collected bottles are returned as recycled feedstock to the circular economy.
Plastic Bank is headquartered in Canada with operations in the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, and Cameroon.
PlasticBank® and Social Plastic® are trademarks of The Plastic Bank Recycling Corporation
Homepage
What is a Plastic Bank Membership?
A monthly impact contribution guaranteeing the collection of a pre-set amount of plastic bottles to be gathered by our collection communities in Indonesia.
What does Plastic Bank do?
Plastic Bank is a social fintech with a global bottle deposit program that helps end poverty and stops plastic pollution.
Collection members exchange plastic for money, social benefits, and beyond. Traceable collection, secured income, and verified reporting is delivered through our blockchain-secured platform.
People and businesses reduce their environmental footprint and support communities through memberships. Members access tools to share impact, invite their customers to join, and grow.
Collected bottles are returned as recycled feedstock to the circular economy.
Plastic Bank is headquartered in Canada with operations in the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, Thailand, and Cameroon.
PlasticBank® and Social Plastic® are trademarks of The Plastic Bank Recycling Corporation
What do you do with the plastic after it’s collected?
The plastic collected through our collection communities is delivered to our processing partners for reprocessing into Social Plastic® feedstock and reintegrated into products and packaging by partner organizations and brands.
What countries do you operate in?
We currently operate in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, and Egypt.
Plastic Bank Glossary
Gathered plastic
Discarded plastic materials gathered from the environment by our collection communities. This can include but is not limited to, collection from beaches, rivers, streets, neighbourhoods, businesses, schools, places of worship, community centres, and wherever materials accumulate.
Stopping Plastic Pollution
The act of gathering discarded plastic from the environment.
Social Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Contribution of EPR compliance in creating social impact for collection communities.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a strategy that holds producers accountable for the environmental impact of their products throughout the product’s lifecycle. This includes not only the manufacturing phase but also the use and disposal phases. EPR policies aim to encourage responsible product design, promote recycling initiatives, and reduce the financial burden on the government and taxpayers for waste management.
Economic Impact
The positive effect of gathering discarded plastic from the environment on the global supply chain, employment, and the creation of income opportunities for communities. Measured by the number of collection communities, members, partner organizations and brands.
Social Impact
The positive effect of gathering discarded plastic from the environment on collection communities. Measured by the additional income generated from recycling and the social benefits offered.
Environmental Impact
An amount of discarded plastic gathered. Measured in kilograms of discarded plastic stopped from polluting the environment, and its equivalence in the number of bottles.
Plastic Footprint
The total volume of plastic that an entity contributes to the world’s plastic waste in a given time period.
Processor
A processing facility that recycles gathered plastic into recycled feedstock for reuse in products and packaging.
Community Partnership
A relationship with a local community-based organization that empowers the collection and exchange of discarded plastic.
PlasticBank® app
Plastic Bank’s proprietary app, backed by its blockchain-secured platform, enables traceable collection, secures income, and verifies reporting.
Social Plastic® feedstock
Recycled plastic feedstock that is reprocessed and reintegrated into products and packaging by Plastic Bank partner organizations and brands for positive social, environmental, and economic impact.
Collection Benefits
Income and social benefits earned by collection communities, including health, work and life insurance, digital connectivity, grocery vouchers, school supplies, and fintech services.
Plastic Credit
The verified assignable value to stop one traceable kilo of discarded plastic from polluting the environment, redeemable in local currency.
Market Value
The price at which buyers and sellers would trade a certain type of plastic in a competitive auction setting.
Collection Branch
A Plastic Bank-certified location where collection community members can verify and exchange their plastic collection. They may also perform preprocessing such as cleaning, sorting, and bailing.
Collection Community Member
A registered member of the collection community that gathers discarded plastic from the environment.
Collection Community
A community of registered Plastic Bank collection members and branches that gather discarded plastic from the environment.
Mismanaged Waste
The sum of discarded materials that are either littered or lack proper waste management systems, resulting in a high risk of polluting the environment.
Our Policies
Child Labour Policy
Please find our Child Labour Policy here.
Anti-Discrimination Policy
Please find our Anti-Discrimination Policy here.
Electronic Communications Policy
Please find our Electronic Communications Policy here.
Privacy Policy
Please find our Privacy Policy here.
Cookies Policy
Please find our Cookies Policy here.
GDPR Policy
Please find our GDPR Policy here.
Sanctions Policy
This policy is a part of our Terms of Use here. By using any of our Services, you agree to this policy and our Terms of Use.
Terms & Conditions
Please find our Terms and Conditions here. By using any of our Services, you agree to this policy and our Terms of Use.
Code of Conduct
Please find our code of conduct here.
Partnerships
What are Impact Programs?
Impact Programs enable businesses to offset their plastic footprint by purchasing plastic collection credits that contribute to the certified collection of plastic and help collection community members.
Why did Plastic Bank decide to transition to the claims of ‘Plastic Net-Zero’ rather than ‘Plastic Neutral’?
Plastic Bank conducted a quantitative consumer study surveying 1,700 respondents in the US in November 2021. Concept testing was conducted to identify the most impactful claims which were relevant, unique and driving purchase intent. Both Plastic Neutral and Plastic Net Zero were tested amongst several others. Plastic Net-Zero was ranked higher than Plastic Neutral on appeal, uniqueness, relevance, and purchase intent. Consumer verbatims showed that this claim was preferred as it was believed to be more action-oriented and connoted that organizations are taking responsibility to help reduce plastic pollution.
What does Plastic Net Positive mean?
Plastic Net Positive is defined as an offset of 1.5x the plastic footprint. An individual, business, product or product line can achieve this by purchasing plastic collection credits from Plastic Bank equal to 1.5 times the amount of plastic used, during a specified period of time.
What does Plastic Net-Zero mean?
Plastic Net-Zero is defined as a zero-sum plastic footprint. An individual, business, product or product line can achieve this by purchasing plastic collection credits from Plastic Bank equal to the amount of plastic used, during a specified period of time.
What are Plastic Credits?
The verified assignable value to stop one traceable kilogram of discarded plastic from polluting the environment, redeemable in local currency. Plastic Bank assigns unique ownership of the entire transaction chain, from the member who collects the plastic to the processor who recycles it. This offers traceability of collection bonuses awarded to members, confirms material recycling at our processor partner facilities, and offers proof of social impact. Every transaction has a unique claim ID number that can only be owned by one purchaser. A plastic credit transfers the ownership of that transaction and the associated environmental and social impact.
PlasticBank® App
How do members make sure their plastic collections are recorded properly by the collection branch?
Collection community members can view a record of their transactions with their collection branch in the Exchange History tab within their PlasticBank® App account.
In addition, the PlasticBank® app and our internal auditing processes ensure that the right people are paid the right amounts at all times.
Do you have any third-party certification?
Plastic Bank has received the following recognitions:
- Gold sustainability medal in December 2024 from EcoVadis, an upgrade from silver in 2023. Plastic Bank is now among the top 5% (95+ percentile) of all companies across all industries rated by EcoVadis that have met rigorous sustainability standards in four key areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. Receiving a gold rating from EcoVadis means Plastic Bank has scored between 73 and 80 overall by integrating sustainability into its strategy and operations, implementing policies to address sustainability risks, and establishing management systems to create and avail sustainable opportunities.
- Click the links to see our Scorecard, Gold Medal and QR Code from EcoVadis.
- Global Recycled Standard Certification – Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is a voluntary, international certification that verifies the content of recycled materials in a product. The certification requires companies to meet strict criteria such as tracking and verifying the amount of recycled materials used in their products, and proving that the materials are sourced responsibly and adhere to social and environmental criteria. We are compliant with Textile Exchange’s Global Recycled Standard.
Learn more in our blog post.
How does the PlasticBank® app serve as a means for traceability of collected plastic from the time of exchange all the way to store shelves as products and packaging made with Social Plastic®?
Plastic Bank can provide real-time, audit-ready traceability for Social Plastic® feedstock and Plastic Credit Offsets with 18+ age-verified registered members. This is enabled through certified PlasticBank® app-enabled locations throughout our supply chain, from input to output, in multiple countries at scale.
The PlasticBank® app is used to record the details of every exchange from our registered collection members to our collection branches, all the way to delivery at the processor partner who recycles and ships the materials for manufacturing. When the branch delivers the collected plastic to our processing partner, the processor issues a printed receipt showing the type and volume delivered to them. The PlasticBank® app and the Plastic Bank team validate the material received with the app recordings to unlock the bonus payments throughout the plastic chain.
We continuously invest in and leverage our multi-user, multi-function PlasticBank® app technology platform to ensure everything we do is built for trust at scale.
Are the personal details of the members and digital tokens safe and secure in the PlasticBank® App?
The PlasticBank® app is built with GDPR compliance by design to always ensure the highest level of data security and data privacy. Plastic Bank has a global policy to hold each country of operation to the highest data privacy and data protection standards as set by the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in addition to any local policies that exist.
Plastic Bank’s last GDPR audit and compliance certification is issued by Bureau Veritas Certification.
How do you use blockchain?
Plastic Bank utilizes a GDPR (data privacy & security) compliant, hybrid blockchain in which key transaction data is stored and securely synced to the PlasticBank® app’s private database.
Energy efficiency is maximized by using the PlasticBank® app’s proprietary system rules to approve and secure transactions and data visibility, which eliminates the need for mining or other high-energy consensus protocols common to public blockchains.
This hybrid solution ensures near real-time efficiencies, with GDPR compliance at the lowest energy cost possible while maintaining the immutable trust and security of blockchain.
Collection Communities
Does Plastic Bank pay a salary to its collection community members?
Plastic Bank does not pay a salary to its members. They receive the local market rate for plastic by material type in cash from the buyer of the materials (collection branches). In addition to the standard market rate payment system, Plastic Bank uses a digital payment system to provide bonuses on eligible material collections above their market rate. The bonuses are paid directly to the members’ wallets in the PlasticBank® app through Plastic Bank tokens.
What are collection bonuses and benefits?
Registered 18+ age-verified collection members and certified collection branches that participate in bonus programs receive a digital bonus payment on top of the cash market rate for bonus-eligible plastic. These bonuses provide increased incomes, digital savings, and benefits with traceability for our supply chain compliance requirements. The bonuses are paid in digital tokens and funded by partner orders through the PlasticBank® app’s bonus payment and order management system.
In addition to financial incentives, collection communities can also be eligible to receive additional benefits including training, access to mentorship for enterprise/leadership development, subsidized education supplies and necessities, fintech services, insurance programs and other social benefits, based on tiered collection goals.
How does Plastic Bank find its collection community members?
Plastic Bank begins working in new territories with existing informal recycling communities wherever possible. We train and certify local collection communities (collection community members and collection branches alike) for compliance with our code of conduct and acquaint them with the PlasticBank® app usage requirements to enable traceability. We incentivize collection benefits for existing members and attract new participants.
We also establish Community Partnerships with local schools, places of worship, establishments, and institutions to set up accessible collection branches. We raise awareness about recycling and encourage proper waste segregation in households to reduce plastic pollution.
How can an informal recycling business become a Plastic Bank collection branch?
Local collection businesses can apply through our regional offices to become certified Plastic Bank collection branches, which makes them eligible to participate in our collection, bonus and benefit programs. For that, they must meet our accreditation requirements and successfully pass our onboarding process. We typically invite all collection businesses within a reasonable range of our existing supply chain partners to apply and participate in our programs. This inclusive model makes it safe for everyone to collectively prosper in our collection community while adhering to our required operational procedures and code of conduct.
Businesses can also apply online to proactively pursue new opportunities.
How do you ensure that you are not employing child labour?
Plastic Bank membership is open to any 18+ age-verified individual who wants to collect and exchange discarded plastic in its areas of operation. Approval of member registrations is subject to verification.
Labour Practices
Collection branches and processing partners must;
- complete Plastic Bank’s standard training program (code of conduct, health & safety and collections standard, traceability and the PlasticBank® app usage),
- have a signed code of conduct agreement uploaded into the PlasticBank® app,
- pass routine compliance audits by Plastic Bank.
18+ Age verification
- Age is verified to be 18+ upon registration by certified Plastic Bank collection branches,
- Age is re-verified to be 18+ by Plastic Bank upon redeeming rewards and benefits,
- Profile photo verification audits are conducted annually,
- Site visits are performed to ensure compliance with our code of conduct,
- The PlasticBank® app automatically prevents paid exchanges from users under 18 years of age,
- Branches are removed if they fail our code of conduct requirements.
Plastic Bank Staff Auditing Responsibilities
- Data managers are staffed regionally,
- Plastic Bank Data Managers conduct periodic audits according to our traceability standards, with routines varying from daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly to annual audits using the PlasticBank® app,
- Each branch has an assigned account manager (Area Coordinator),
- A cross-functional global task force coordinates annual onsite partner audits,
- The PlasticBank® app continues to evolve and automate our auditing and compliance process.
Please find answers about our Child Labour Policy here.
Can a person become a member without creating an account in the PlasticBank® App?
Plastic Bank membership is open to any 18+ age-verified individual who wants to collect and exchange discarded plastic in its areas of operation. Our collection branches initiate every exchange in the PlasticBank® app and can register new members who do not own a smartphone. Registrations are subject to verification.
Non-app users are able to redeem their collection benefits through Plastic Bank’s automatic end-of-month redemption disbursement services, or at special redemption locations. Members are also offered digital connectivity through subsidized smartphones at participating locations.
Our app allows members to:
- find the nearest collection branch to exchange collected plastic
- access their secured digital wallet
- view exchange and earnings history
- connect their Plastic Bank savings wallet to a local digital payment / bank account for local usage
How can a person become a collection community member?
Collection community members must be 18+ years of age and registered in the PlasticBank® app. Any registered individual can sign into the PlasticBank® App to find the nearest local collection branch for exchanging discarded plastic.
Who are the collection community members?
An individual who is over 18 years of age, registered through the PlasticBank® app, and gathers discarded plastic from the environment is a collection community member. Some are full-time members who have worked in informal waste collection for many years, while others work with us on a part-time basis to supplement other sources of income. Regardless of how much or how often our collection community members collect plastic, age-verified collection members can exchange plastic for additional income and social benefits at their local collection branch.
Get involved with Plastic Bank
Professional Membership
Fund global plastic collection with your business and access tools to communicate the environmental and social impact it's making.
Personal Membership
Empower collection communities to gather plastic materials and exchange it for money and access to social benefits.
We're here to Connect
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