# Plastic Bank

> Plastic Bank pays collectors for gathered plastic and lets individuals and businesses fund that collection with verified, traceable impact.

- Founded in 2013, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
- Collection communities operate in five countries; live totals are on the Live Plastic Tracker.
- One plastic credit is the verified collection of one kilogram of traceable plastic with social impact.
- Credits are blockchain-traceable and audited under the published Plastic Credit Methodology.

Route index: https://plasticbank.com/llms.txt

## Key reading

- [What are plastic credits](https://plasticbank.com/blog/what-are-plastic-credits): Explainer: what a plastic credit is, how it is verified and who buys them.
- [Plastic Credit Methodology](https://plasticbank.com/plastic-credit-methodology): How each credit funds the collection of one kilogram of ocean-bound plastic.
- [Plastic Bank vs The Ocean Cleanup](https://plasticbank.com/blog/plastic-bank-vs-the-ocean-cleanup-two-polarising-solutions-to-the-same-problem): Comparison of the two models with methodology and sources.
- [Bottle2KG Research Study](https://plasticbank.com/bottle2kg-research): How many 500 ml bottles make up one kilogram of collected plastic.
- [FAQ](https://plasticbank.com/faq): Answers on plastic credits, EPR in the Philippines, collection and the app.
- [Live Plastic Tracker](https://plasticbank.com/live-plastic-tracker): Live bottles collected, collectors paid and countries active.

## What are plastic credits?

Source: https://plasticbank.com/blog/what-are-plastic-credits/

Fabricio is a Plastic Bank collection community member in Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Think of a plastic bottle, one among billions, starting its life in a factory. It’s filled, used, and then discarded – a fleeting moment of convenience, now a permanent mark on our planet.  This bottle embarks on a journey that could lead it to the ocean’s depths, joining a swirling mass of plastic that suffocates marine life and poisons our ecosystems. Or, it could be one of the fortunate few, reclaimed, recycled, and given new life. This is where the narrative shifts, and the concept of plastic credits enters the stage. Plastic credits offer a chance to rewrite the end of our bottle’s journey. Instead of contributing to the growing plastic crisis, it becomes part of a solution. By investing in plastic credits, businesses and individuals empower communities to collect, manage, and recycle plastic waste, transforming it from a pollutant into a resource. Through this lens, the journey of a plastic bottle transforms from a tale of environmental despair to one of empowerment, community involvement, and optimism. But what are plastic credits? The concept of plastic credits Plastic credits are a tangible way for businesses to offset their plastic footprint by financially supporting the removal of an equivalent amount of plastic from the environment and setting it up for recycling. This initiative offers a substitute for the production of new plastic and plays a crucial role in cleaning up existing waste. The concept is simple yet impactful. Individuals and companies calculate plastic usage and purchase credits to counterbalance their footprint. These credits finance projects to collect and recycle plastic waste, especially in areas lacking proper waste management infrastructure. This approach offers an immediate solution to plastic pollution and promotes a circular economy, valuing every piece of plastic for reuse instead of disposal. Plastic Bank – a social enterprise that empowers communities to gather discarded plastic and use it to pave their paths out of poverty – takes this concept further by integrating environmental action with social empowerment. Let’s explore how plastic credits work at Plastic Bank!  Plastic Bank’s plastic credits At Plastic Bank, plastic credits are more than a transactional tool for offsetting plastic use.  These credits are a cornerstone of a more significant, transformative movement, where the act of purchasing plastic credits ignites a wave of positive change throughout collection communities in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. This stems from the social enterprise’s unique approach, which intertwines the environmental mission with social impact. Plastic Bank’s model turns discarded plastic into a currency, enabling collection communities to exchange plastic for income and social benefits. These benefits include health, work and life insurance, digital connectivity, grocery vouchers, school supplies, fintech services, and more. Essentially, plastic credits purchased through Plastic Bank contribute to a dual mission: reducing plastic pollution and helping end poverty – redefining the value of plastic and turning it into a tool for empowerment. Plastic Bank’s proprietary blockchain-secured platform enables traceable collection, secures income, and verifies reporting. Traceability of Plastic Bank’s plastic credits Before discussing how to get plastic credits, let’s quickly explore how the social enterprise ensures the traceability of every piece of plastic collected and exchanged within its ecosystem. At Plastic Bank, a plastic credit represents the verified assignable value to stop one traceable kilogram of discarded plastic, redeemable in local currency. This system guarantees that the path of each piece of plastic is fully documented. Each step is traceable, offering a transparent view of the collection bonuses awarded to members, and providing tangible proof of social impact.  Plastic Bank’s proprietary blockchain-secured platform assigns a unique claim ID number for every transaction, ensuring that each plastic credit is singular and its environmental and social impacts are uniquely attributed to one purchaser. This transparency reaffirms the integrity of plastic credits and strengthens the trust of Plastic Bank’s partners and supporters in its mission. Plastic Bank’s Impact Programs To get a plastic credit, you can subscribe to Plastic Bank’s Impact Programs, including Plastic Net Zero and Plastic Net Positive, catering to individuals and businesses seeking to address their plastic footprint. Plastic Net Zero This program is for those looking to balance their plastic usage by ensuring that an equivalent amount of discarded plastic is collected for recycling. Plastic Net Positive For those aiming to go beyond neutrality, this program guarantees that 1.5 times their plastic footprint is collected and recycled, amplifying their positive environmental and social impact. Other options are also offered to businesses, such as Workplace Impact, which stops a minimum of 5,000 kilograms of plastic from polluting the environment; Workforce Net Zero, which guarantees the collection of 84 kilograms of plastic for every staff member; and Event Impact, which is designed to offset 100 plastic bottles per event attendee. Where do your contributions go? Seventy percent of the funds generated through the purchase of plastic credits are allocated to the following crucial areas: Collection benefits (24%): This portion directly supports the collection members, providing them with bonuses and social benefits.  Developing and maintaining recycling infrastructure (23%): Supporting collection operatives and in-country networks to develop and implement projects that stop plastic pollution and help end poverty. Technology development for material traceability (23%): Maintaining and improving Plastic Bank’s blockchain-secured platform to continuously advance its internal auditing and reporting capabilities, add new user types, and offer more tech-enabled social benefits. The remaining funds cover the administrative and marketing costs of Plastic Bank’s global operations, ensuring the continuation of its mission to stop plastic pollution and use it to end poverty. Elizabeth Ampuyas is a collection community member from Baseco, Tondo, Manila, Philippines. Choosing the right program Subscribing to Plastic Bank’s Impact Programs starts with a crucial step: understanding your or your business’s plastic footprint. This foundational knowledge is key to choosing the right program that aligns with your sustainability goals and the level of impact you aim to achieve. If you are an individual, you can use Plastic Bank’s footprint calculator, an accessible tool designed to help you find out just how much plastic you use and dispose of. For businesses, consulting with an expert is recommended. Plastic Bank’s experts can guide you through the process of accurately determining the amount of plastic generated by your products, operations, or events over a specific timeframe. Remember the journey of a plastic bottle we discussed at the beginning? This is your opportunity to become part of a larger story – one where every piece of plastic has the potential to contribute to positive change rather than polluting our ocean and landscapes. Together, we can transform the global narrative on plastic, turning waste into worth and despair into hope.

## Plastic Bank vs The Ocean Cleanup: Two polarising solutions to the same problem

Source: https://plasticbank.com/blog/plastic-bank-vs-the-ocean-cleanup-two-polarising-solutions-to-the-same-problem/

One deploys 63,000 people. The other deploys engineered systems. Same ocean. Different theory of change. Disclosure: This comparison is published by Plastic Bank. Our methodology and full source list are at the bottom of the page. Plastic Bank and The Ocean Cleanup were both founded in 2013. Over the following decade, they built two of the most recognized organizations in ocean plastic. They share a goal. They share a timeline. They share almost nothing else about how they operate. Plastic Bank puts plastic collection in the hands of 63,000 people across five countries, paying them for the work and wrapping it in a financial inclusion platform. The Ocean Cleanup puts it in the hands of engineered systems: floating barriers in the Pacific, solar-powered Interceptors in polluted rivers, AI-driven drone surveys to map where waste flows. One model scales through people. The other scales through technology. The question is not which scales better, but what each kind of scale actually produces. 1. At a glance Plastic Bank 63,000 people in five countries collect discarded plastic for Plastic Bank. The Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, and Thailand.[1] Each collector brings material to a local branch, gets paid in cash and digital tokens, and accesses a benefits platform through the Plastic Bank App. The plastic enters a verified supply chain. Brands purchase Plastic Credits to offset their plastic footprint. Current partners include SC Johnson, Coca-Cola Philippines, and Acer. As of April 2026: over 190 million kilograms collected, roughly 9.6 billion bottles.[2] The Ocean Cleanup A nonprofit engineering organization headquartered in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Founded by Boyan Slat, who proposed the concept in a TED talk at 18.[3] The Ocean Cleanup operates System 03, a large floating barrier towed through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP), and deploys solar-powered Interceptor devices in polluted rivers. In 2025, the organization launched the 30 Cities Program, targeting 30 coastal cities across Asia and the Americas with the aim of stopping one third of all river-borne plastic by the end of the decade.[4] As of early 2026, The Ocean Cleanup has removed approximately 50 million kilograms of trash from oceans and rivers, with $121 million secured from The Audacious Project to fund the next phase.[5]  Plastic BankThe Ocean CleanupFounded20132013HeadquartersVancouver, CanadaRotterdam, NetherlandsLegal structureFor-profit social enterpriseNonprofit (Stichting)Primary approach63,000+ people collecting discarded plastic before it reaches waterwaysEngineered systems extracting plastic from rivers and open oceanCountriesPhilippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, ThailandGreat Pacific Garbage Patch + 8 cities across Asia and the AmericasRevenue modelPlastic Credits, brand partnerships, membershipsDonations, corporate partnerships, product sales (recycled ocean plastic)Community model63,000+ collectors earning income, benefits, and interest-free loansLocal operators for Interceptors, sorting facility staff, coastal sweep volunteersTechnologyBlockchain-secured app, digital wallets, IBM LinuxONESystem 03 (ocean), Interceptor devices (river), AI-powered Smart River SurveyKey metric190M+ kg collected (~9.6B bottles equivalent)~50M kg removed from oceans and rivers 2. Two theories of the same problem Where Boyan Slat saw an engineering problem, David Katz saw an economics problem. Slat looked at the Pacific and asked: how do you build something that can collect this? Katz looked at coastal communities surrounded by uncollected plastic and asked: why is nobody picking this up? The answer to Katz’s question turned out to be straightforward: because there was no economic reason to. Plastic had value as a raw material, but the people living next to it had no way to capture that value. So Katz built a system that let them.[6] Slat’s answer was equally direct: the scale of the problem in the open ocean was too large for manual collection. You needed machines.[3] Both diagnoses are correct. They just lead to very different kinds of organizations. 3. How each model works Plastic Bank: a network of human decisions Plastic Bank’s collection model depends on individual judgment at every step. A collector decides where to look, what to pick up, and how to sort it. Sorting matters: rigid plastics like PET and PP are worth more than flexible film, so collectors who sort well earn more.[7] At the branch, an operator inspects and weighs the material. Payment is immediate (cash plus digital token bonuses through the app). The material moves through a verified supply chain to a processing partner and then to a brand that purchases Plastic Credits.[8] Every step involves a person making a decision. The system’s intelligence is distributed across 63,000 collectors, each adapting to their local environment. That is both the model’s strength (it works in any geography where the branches exist) and its constraint (it scales by adding people, not by deploying machines). The Ocean Cleanup: engineered systems with local operators The Ocean Cleanup’s model minimizes the need for human judgment in the collection step. In rivers, Interceptor devices use floating barriers to guide trash onto a conveyor belt and into collection bins. The systems are solar-powered and automated. When bins are nearly full, local operators receive an automated notification.[3] In the open ocean, System 03 is a massive floating barrier towed by two ships through the GPGP, funneling debris into a retention zone for extraction.[9] Before any device is deployed, the 30 Cities Program runs an intensive analysis phase: aerial drones, AI-powered image analysis, and GPS-tagged dummy plastics are used to chart waterways and track how waste moves from streets to sea.[4] The intelligence is in the engineering and the data, not in the people on the ground. Local operators manage the devices, but the system is designed so that the hard decisions (where to deploy, how to optimize) are made by software and engineering teams in Rotterdam. The distinction is not better or worse. It is centralized engineering intelligence versus distributed human intelligence. Each has advantages the other cannot replicate. 4. Impact by the numbers Both organizations were founded in 2013. Thirteen years later, the numbers look like this: Plastic Bank: 190 million kilograms collected across five countries through 63,000+ collectors. All of this was gathered on land, before it entered a waterway.[2] The Ocean Cleanup: approximately 50 million kilograms removed from oceans and rivers. In 2025 alone, the organization collected over 25 million kilograms, its largest annual result. The 30 Cities Program is now deploying in eight cities (Mumbai, Jakarta, Montego Bay, Kuala Lumpur, Panama City, Manila, Bangkok, and Los Angeles) with the rest planned before 2030.[5][10] Plastic Bank’s number is about four times larger. The two figures measure different interventions. Plastic Bank counts kilograms collected on land, in communities, before that plastic entered a waterway. That is 190 million kilograms that will never reach the ocean. The Ocean Cleanup counts kilograms pulled from rivers and the open ocean where they were already causing damage. One measures interception. The other measures extraction. Both numbers represent real environmental impact, at different stages of the pollution lifecycle. 5. How The Ocean Cleanup moved toward Plastic Bank’s territory When The Ocean Cleanup launched, the pitch was open-ocean cleanup. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A massive floating barrier. The ambition was to remove 90% of floating ocean plastic by 2040.[3] That goal still stands. But the organization’s own research changed where it puts its resources. The Ocean Cleanup published data showing that roughly 1,000 rivers carry 80% of river-borne plastic to the ocean.[11] That finding shifted the strategy. If you can stop plastic in the rivers, you reduce the amount that reaches the ocean in the first place. The Interceptor program followed. Then the 30 Cities Program. Then the twin-track framing: “shutting off the tap while clearing the legacy pollution.”[4] The latest update (April 2026) makes the shift explicit. The Ocean Cleanup states that it needs “both interception of inflow and cleanup of legacy pollution” to succeed.[12] GPGP extraction operations are currently on hiatus while the team develops hotspot-mapping technology to make future extractions more efficient.[12] Meanwhile, the 30 Cities Program is “moving full speed ahead.” This is a significant convergence. The Ocean Cleanup started as a removal organization and has increasingly become an interception organization. Plastic Bank has always been an interception organization. A decade in, the two models are closer to each other’s territory than either expected to be. 6. Social and community impact Plastic Bank has a network of 63,000 collectors. The Ocean Cleanup employs approximately 150 people. That is not a criticism of The Ocean Cleanup. It is a description of two models that are designed to work in opposite ways. Plastic Bank’s model requires people at scale because the work is collection, and collection in informal economies depends on thousands of individuals making daily decisions about where to look and what to bring in. Each of those 63,000 collectors earns income, accesses a benefits platform (health insurance, grocery support, school supplies, interest-free loans), and uses the PlasticBank app as a financial tool.[13] The social impact is structural: it creates an occupation where one did not exist, in communities where formal employment options are limited.[6] The Ocean Cleanup’s model requires machines at scale because the work is extraction from water, and water-based extraction cannot rely on manual labor. The 30 Cities Program hires local operators to manage Interceptor devices and sorting facilities, and works with municipal governments on waste infrastructure.[4] In Malaysia, a sorting facility on the Klang river employs local staff. In Manila, the first Philippine Interceptor deployment (Meycauayan River, planned for June 2026) is being built in partnership with the city government.[5][10] The question is what kind of social value you think plastic collection should produce. Plastic Bank says: livelihoods for tens of thousands of people, each integrated into a financial system. The Ocean Cleanup says: engineered infrastructure that municipalities can build around. Both create value. The value is different in kind, not just in scale. 7. Technology and transparency Plastic Bank’s technology augments human work. The blockchain platform (IBM LinuxONE) records every transaction from collector to processing partner to brand, creating a traceable chain of custody.[14] But the technology does not collect the plastic. People do. The app is a verification, payment, and benefits delivery tool that makes the collectors’ work more valuable. Without the collectors, the app has nothing to verify. The Ocean Cleanup’s technology replaces human work, or at least reduces the need for it. The Interceptor barrier captures floating trash using river currents and a conveyor belt. No one stands in the river. The AI-powered Smart River Survey uses drones, remote-sensing cameras, and GPS trackers to map plastic flows and determine where devices should go.[4] System 03 operates in the open Pacific where manual collection would be impossible at any scale. The technology is the collection method, not the support system around it.[9] For brands, the difference matters. Plastic Bank’s blockchain proves the material made it from a community into a product (useful for Plastic Credit verification, ESG reporting, EPR compliance).[2] The Ocean Cleanup’s data proves that material was removed from a river or ocean (useful for environmental claims and impact reporting, but without a supply-chain integration endpoint comparable to Plastic Credits). 8. How to get involved Plastic Bank For businesses: Purchase Plastic Credits to reduce your plastic footprint with blockchain-verified collection data. Over 500 companies partner with Plastic Bank. EPR compliance support available.[2] For individuals: Monthly memberships fund collection by communities in operating countries. Members receive impact updates. The Ocean Cleanup For businesses: Corporate partnerships fund technology development and deployment. Partners include Coca-Cola, Maersk, Kia. The organization also sells products made from recovered GPGP plastic (sunglasses launched in 2020).[15] For individuals: Donations fund operations. The 30 Cities Program offers partnership opportunities for municipal governments.[5] 9. The bottom line The most interesting thing about these two organizations is that they have been moving toward each other for years. The Ocean Cleanup started as an open-ocean extraction project. Over a decade, its own data pushed it toward river interception, then toward citywide waste management partnerships, then toward coastal cleanup and ecosystem restoration. The 30 Cities Program looks more like community-scale infrastructure than a cleanup mission. Plastic Bank started as a community collection model. Over the same period, it built a supply-chain technology platform, a Plastic Credits system, and an EPR compliance offering that makes it look more like a fintech company than a recycling one. Where they converge is on a shared conclusion: you need infrastructure on the ground, in the communities and cities where plastic enters waterways, if you want to stop the flow. They just disagree about whether that infrastructure should be built around 63,000 people sorting plastic by hand, or around solar-powered machines doing it automatically. If you are deciding where to put your support, the question is: do you want to fund a human network that creates livelihoods while collecting plastic, or an engineering system that collects plastic while creating local jobs as a byproduct? The ocean needs the answer to be yes to both. Sources and footnotes All sources accessed and verified as of April 2026. [1]  Plastic Bank, About Us – Founding story, social fintech, collector benefits, digital wallet model. https://plasticbank.com/about/ [2]  Plastic Bank, Global Impact – 63,000+ collectors, 5 countries, 190M+ kg collected, Plastic Credits, partners (SC Johnson, Coca-Cola Philippines, Acer). https://plasticbank.com/global-impact/ [3]  Wikipedia, The Ocean Cleanup – Founding by Boyan Slat, system iterations, ~150 staff, Interceptor technology, scientific publications, criticisms (Goldstein, neustons), $121M Audacious Project. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ocean_Cleanup [4]  The Ocean Cleanup, 30 Cities Program launch (June 2025) – 30 cities, 1/3 of river pollution target, transition from single rivers to citywide, drones/AI/GPS analysis, twin-track approach. https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/the-ocean-cleanup-launches-30-cities-program-to-cut-ocean-plastic-pollution-from-rivers-by-one-third-by-2030/ [5]  The Ocean Cleanup, 30 Cities Program funding (March 2026) – $121M from Audacious Project, ~50M kg total, 8 initial cities (Mumbai, Jakarta, Montego Bay, KL, Panama City, Manila, Bangkok, LA), 2-5% of global river emissions intercepted. https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/funding-unlocked-for-the-30-cities-program/ [6]  The Manila Times, How Plastic Bank uplifts waste collectors – Interview with David Katz, collector dignity, poverty-pollution link. https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/05/25/business/sunday-business-it/how-plastic-bank-uplifts-the-lives-of-waste-collectors-protects-the-environment/2120398 [7]  Soapbox Project, How Plastic Bank is reducing ocean plastics – Collector sorting by type (PET, PP, flexible), two-stage payment, value maximization. https://www.soapboxproject.org/journal/how-plastic-bank-is-reducing-ocean-plastic-pollution [8]  Plastic Bank, FAQ – Collection process, Community Partnership Program, EPR compliance, PRO role. https://plasticbank.com/faq/ [9]  The Ocean Cleanup, Milestones – System 03 scale (football field every 5 seconds), 20+ Interceptor deployments, 9 countries, 100+ scientific publications. https://theoceancleanup.com/milestones/ [10]  The Ocean Cleanup, Manila Bay deployment (March 2026) – Philippines as part of 30 Cities, Meycauayan River Interceptor, 90% of Manila Bay waste is hard/film plastics. https://theoceancleanup.com/press/press-releases/the-ocean-cleanup-to-deploy-interceptors-in-manila/ [11]  Sustainability Magazine, 30 Cities Program – 1,000 rivers carry 80% of river-borne plastic, 29M kg removed by mid-2025, Kingston Jamaica citywide learning. https://sustainabilitymag.com/news/how-the-ocean-cleanup-is-removing-plastic-waste-in-thirty-cities [12]  The Ocean Cleanup, Taking the next step in ocean operations (April 2026) – GPGP extraction on hiatus, hotspot mapping tech in development, explicit statement: need both interception and legacy cleanup. https://theoceancleanup.com/updates/taking-the-next-step-in-our-ocean-operations/ [13]  Plastic Bank, Global Impact – Indonesia: BPJS Kesehatan health insurance, BPJS Ketenagakerjaan life/accident insurance, Alfamart grocery vouchers. Brazil: monthly grocery baskets. All markets: school supplies, connectivity, fintech, interest-free loans. https://plasticbank.com/global-impact/ [14]  IBM Case Study, Plastic Bank – IBM LinuxONE, Cognition Foundry, blockchain platform, supply chain traceability, digital wallets. https://www.ibm.com/case-studies/plastic-bank-systems-linuxone [15]  UN SDGs, The Ocean Cleanup Partnership – 90% by 2040 goal, Coca-Cola/Maersk/Kia partnerships, sunglasses launch 2020. https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/cleanup-90-floating-ocean-plastic-2040 Methodology: Data reflects publicly available figures as of April 2026. Plastic Bank figures sourced from plasticbank.com/global-impact/. The Ocean Cleanup figures sourced from theoceancleanup.com updates and third-party reporting. 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Cleanup?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Plastic Bank is a social fintech that prevents plastic from reaching the ocean by paying community collectors in coastal countries to gather plastic in exchange for income and benefits. The Ocean Cleanup is a nonprofit engineering organization that builds technology to extract plastic already in the ocean (System 03) and to intercept it in rivers (Interceptors). One stops plastic upstream through people; the other removes it downstream through engineered systems."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Who founded The Ocean Cleanup?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The Ocean Cleanup was founded in 2013 in the Netherlands by Dutch inventor Boyan Slat."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the 30 Cities Program?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The 30 Cities Program is The Ocean Cleanup's initiative to deploy river Interceptors and partner with municipalities in 30 of the world's most polluting cities, aiming to cut river-borne ocean plastic pollution by one third by 2030."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Where does Plastic Bank operate?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Plastic Bank operates in the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, Egypt, and Thailand, supporting over 63,000 collectors through permanent community branches."}}]}]}

## FAQ

Source: https://plasticbank.com/faq

### EPR Philippines

**What is EPR law in the Philippines?**

The Philippine EPR Act of 2022 mandates Obligated Enterprises to recover their plastic packaging waste responsibly. This involves redesigning plastic packaging to enhance reusability, recovery, or recyclability. Additionally, it includes measures such as offsetting, redemption, or buy-back of plastic waste, as well as contributing to the collection and transportation of recovered plastic waste to appropriate recycling sites. By holding manufacturers accountable, the law aims to reduce plastic pollution and promote a circular economy. These are its key objectives: Institutionalize Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanisms to minimize plastic waste through improving waste management focusing on recovery and recycling and extending the life cycle of a product for full circularity Encourage public-private cooperation in waste management at national and local levels Promote education and awareness on sustainable practices and ecological responsibility

**What are the obligations of EPR in the Philippines?**

The Philippine EPR Act of 2022 mandates producers to recover their product plastic packaging waste, promoting eco-friendly practices such as recycling to facilitate plastic recovery and foster a circular economy. It aims to minimize environmental harm by holding Obliged Enterprises responsible for the entire lifecycle of their goods, from production to disposal. Obliged Enterprises (OE) must comply with the following: Submit EPR Program: Each OE must design and register an EPR program with the DENR. This should include plans to reduce, phase out, or offset plastic packaging, enhance recyclability, or achieve plastic neutrality. Undergo Third-Party Audit: Programs and OEs must be audited annually and submitted to the DENR. For the OEs, audits must be also conducted internally within their organization to validate their plastic footprint, either in totality or for the given compliance year Ensure Traceability: The system must trace plastics from where the plastic waste was collected as well as its next of life, and verified via a certificate issued by the Waste Diverter or Producer Responsibility Organization. The Certificate must also be notarized in accordance with the EPR Law Offset plastic based on these targets: Compliance Year Required Offset 2023 20% of 2022 footprint 2024 40% of 2023 footprint 2025 50% of 2024 footprint 2026 60% of 2025 footprint 2027 70% of 2026 footprint 2028 onwards 80% of previous year’s footprint

**What are the different ways to comply with EPR requirements?**

A. Product Redesign and Reduction: Minimize the use of non-environmentally friendly materials through redesign. Incorporate recycled content into products. Reduce overall plastic use. Implement information, education, and communication (IEC) campaigns. Improve product labeling for better consumer awareness. B. Waste Recovery Programs designed to prevent plastic waste from leaking into the environment. These may include: Buy-back, redemption, or offsetting schemes to recover post-consumer plastic waste. Reintegration of recovered waste into value chains through recycling or other sustainable methods. Clean-up activities targeting coastal areas, public roads, waterways, and other affected locations. Collaborations with LGUs, communities, and the informal waste sector to enhance plastic recovery efforts. Proper transport of recovered waste to certified recycling, composting, or disposal facilities within the country. Development of waste diversion infrastructure, including recycling, composting, thermal treatment, and other environmentally sound facilities.

**How does Plastic Bank help with EPR?**

Plastic Bank enables obliged enterprises to meet their EPR obligations through plastic waste recovery and diversion programs designed to prevent waste from leaking into the environment. Our model combines community impact, traceability, and measurable plastic diversion so companies can comply with RA 11898 with confidence: Here’s how we support EPR compliance: a. Waste Recovery Schemes (Buy-Back, Redemption, and Offsetting) Plastic Bank operates community-based collection systems where collectors can exchange plastic waste for financial incentives. This approach helps companies recover measurable volumes of post-consumer plastic to offset their footprint and meet mandated recovery targets. b. Diversion of Recovered Waste into Circular Value Chains Collected materials are processed into a certified, high-quality recycled material that is sold to companies to be reintegrated into new products and packaging, which helps reduce the demand for virgin plastic. Transportation of Recovered Waste to Accredited Facilities We facilitate the safe and compliant transport of recovered plastic to authorized recycling facilities to ensure responsible waste handling.

**What penalties are enforced for EPR violations in the Philippines?**

Obligated enterprises (OEs) violating the EPR Act of 2022 would be fined P5 million to P20 million (USD 90,000 – 181,000) and face the automatic suspension of their business permits on the third offense.

**Which enterprises or businesses must adhere to EPR regulations in the Philippines?**

Obliged Enterprises are large enterprises that generate plastic packaging waste involved in manufacturing, importing, selling, distributing, and using products covered by EPR laws must comply in the Philippines with at least 100,000,000 Million Pesos in assets. Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are not mandated, but encouraged to participate voluntarily.

**How much plastic recovery does the Philippines EPR Act of 2022 require?**

By the end of 2023, companies need to demonstrate recovery and diversion of 20 percent of their 2022 plastic packaging footprint; 40 percent by 2024, with 10 percent annual increase up to 80 percent by 2028 and onwards.

**What advantages does Plastic Bank offer for meeting EPR requirements?**

Verified plastic collection and recycling solution Its blockchain platform allows tracking the plastic collection and recycling journey from collection to processing, ensuring verified data for audits and reports. Social impact for informal waste collection communities that collect plastic for recycling. Large, consistent collection capacity With a monthly collection capacity of 500 to 1,000 tons, it can ensure the fulfilment of large plastic recovery requirements.

**What services does Plastic Bank offer to support EPR compliance?**

Plastic Bank supports Obliged Enterprises in achieving EPR Compliance as a Waste Diverter and as a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO). As a waste diverter, Plastic Bank operates programs to collect and recycle post-consumer products and packaging. As a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), Plastic Bank: Tracks the volume of waste recovered and provides companies with verified collection to comply with government-mandated recovery targets Manages partnerships by building networks with collector communities and recycling facilities Provides auditable reporting and documentation on the entire waste recovery process to support regulatory submissions Educates and engages stakeholders through awareness campaigns, provides training, and engages communities, brands and LGs to strengthen overall waste management systems.

**How does EPR compliance help business growth?**

Under the law, OEs may receive awards (monetary or otherwise) for outstanding initiatives in reuse, recycling, or reduction. OEs and MSMEs may apply for tax and fiscal incentives under the National Internal Revenue Code, pending alignment with the Strategic Investment Priority Plan. Final guidelines are under development by the DENR and Department of Finance. EPR compliance drives business growth by bolstering brand reputation, cutting waste management expenses, spurring product innovation, and ensuring legal adherence. This attracts eco-conscious consumers and investors, while mitigating environmental liabilities, fostering resource efficiency, and maintaining compliance, thereby nurturing sustainable business expansion.

### Join #Us

**How do I know if my contribution through Plastic Bank is creating real impact for the people and planet?**

Our blockchain platform records every plastic collection, ensures verifiable real impact, and provides secure income for our collector communities. When you sign up as an Impact Member, you gain access to our Impact Hub to see all of your contributions in action.

**What do you do with the plastic after it's collected?**

Collected plastic is delivered to processors for reprocessing it into recycled plastic feedstock. The feedstock is then reintegrated into products and packaging by organizations and brands aiming to reduce their dependence on virgin plastic.

**What does Plastic Bank do and how does it benefit collectors?**

We work with plastic collectors in vulnerable coastal areas, where plastic pollution and poverty are high and infrastructure is lacking. They use the PlasticBank® app to record their plastic collection and compensation for its exchange. They also gain access to social benefits like food vouchers, health insurance, school kits, and more, helping them break free from poverty.

**What countries do you operate in?**

We currently operate in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, and Egypt.

### Our technology

**The PlasticBank App**

A gig-economy infrastructure for the circular economy: Used by plastic collectors, recycling branches, processors, and households Supports traceability, gamification, and tokenized incentives Features: Blockchain-secured transactions AI-driven identity verification Tokenized digital wallets Digital Plastic Credit monetization Launched: 2017 Coming January 1, 2026: Member Credit Scores Client-collateralized Token Advances Yield Fund for loan collateralization and reinvestment Zero marginal cost loan delivery and repayment

**Individual Accounts**

Empowers individuals with: Freemium and subscription tiers Personalized AI Impact Guide (AI-driven user profiling and recommendations) Gamified offsetting, tailored suggestions, and behavior nudges Official Launch: September 2025 Coming January 2026: Affiliate profit-sharing programs Tools for everyday changemakers to grow their own “tribe” of impact Shared rewards from enrolled member activity

**Small Business SaaS Accounts**

Enable purpose-driven businesses to: Subscribe to purchase discounted Plastic Credits or make one-time purchases Access AI-curated, ready-to-post branded content Launch plug-and-play consumer loyalty programs Official Launch: September 2025 Coming January 2026: Profit-sharing retail network programs Digital tribe building Cumulative tribe impact tracking and monetization

**Enterprise SaaS Accounts**

Self-service SaaS access for enterprise clients requiring: Blockchain-secured transaction records uniquely assigned to the customer Regulatory-compliant traceability (EPR, Social Plastic supply chains, and sponsorship orders) Agency-ready authenticated marketing assets Custom campaign and claims support Launched: 2020

**Alchemy**

Plastic Bank’s proprietary core operations platform that scales everything we do at zero marginal cost. Capabilities include: Blockchain-secured traceability End-to-end Plastic Chain technology Digital Plastic Credit creation Tokenized payments Digital asset monetization AI-driven insights Automated auditing AI fraud detection Sales order fulfillment User management and admin tools Launched: 2017 Coming 2027: Open to 3rd-party SaaS access

### Impact

**How do I unlock content?**

Every US $100 one-time contribution unlocks 2 weeks of Professional-Membership assets and tools.

**Can I extend my access?**

Make another one-time contribution anytime, and we will add its full-time block onto the end of your current access $100 adds 2 weeks $200 adds 4 weeks $ 2,600 (or more) unlocks 360 days at once Your expiry can never be more than 360 days from your most recent purchase. Example: $200 on day 1 (28 days) → $100 on day 21 (+14 days) → new expiry is 42 days after day 1.

**What’s included while I’m “unlocked”?**

Everything in our Professional Membership—marketing content library, brand badges, Impact Page, analytics, and more. See the complete membership benefits at https://plasticbank.com/pricing

**What happens when my access ends?**

Impact tracking remains visible, but downloading assets and using the brand license are paused until you contribute again or upgrade to a monthly membership.

**Does my money still fund plastic collection?**

Absolutely. All contributions first fund verified plastic recovery and community benefits—content access is an added perk for sharing your story.

### 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 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 single-use 500 ml plastic bottles, based on our Bottle2KG research study across more than 100 collection branches in 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.

**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 benefits, 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 read 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 benefits, 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.

**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!

### Impact Account Personal Membership

**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 account, what happens next?**

Once you've signed up for a free account, you can fully set up and access your Impact Account. 50 bottles are gathered in your name as part of signing up, and your impact is recorded permanently — the free account itself is never automatically charged. A Professional Membership unlocks the full toolkit and ongoing monthly impact.

**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 single-use 500 ml plastic bottles, based on our Bottle2KG research study across more than 100 collection branches in 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.

### Professional Membership

**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 account, what happens next?**

Once you've signed up for a free account, you can fully set up and access your Impact Account. 100 bottles are gathered in your name as part of signing up, and your impact is recorded permanently — the free account itself is never automatically charged. A Professional Membership unlocks the full toolkit and ongoing monthly impact.

**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 single-use 500 ml plastic bottles, based on our Bottle2KG research study across more than 100 collection branches in 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.

### 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.

**Data Privacy & Cookie Policy**

Please find our Data Privacy & Cookie 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.

**How can companies and individuals get involved?**

Check out our Partnership Programs.

### Social Plastic® feedstock

**What types of Social Plastic® are available to manufacturers?**

Currently, Social Plastic® feedstock is available in four types: HDPE LDPE PET PP

**What makes Social Plastic® feedstock different from other recycled plastic?**

All Social Plastic® feedstock is recycled plastic feedstock, but not all recycled plastic feedstock is Social Plastic® feedstock. The purchase of Social Plastic® feedstock helps collection communities with additional income and social benefits that help them pave a path out of poverty, thus creating environmental, social and economic impact.

**What happens to plastic after it is collected at a Plastic Bank collection branch?**

After collection, the plastic is recycled and processed into a new raw recycled material called Social Plastic® feedstock which can be purchased by manufacturers and integrated into new products and packaging. Plastic that does not get licensed as Social Plastic® feedstock is sold as commodity plastic to ensure ongoing recycling flows are maintained at all times. This completes the loop – creating a sustainable, circular economy for plastic. To learn more about how we empower a circular economy for plastic, see our About Page.

### 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.

### Individuals

**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.

**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 benefits, 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.

### Personal

**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.

**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 benefits, 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.

### Professional

**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.

**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 benefits, 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.