You know we love to shout loud about the fact we work with Plastic Bank at FRSH Scents, but that’s because we proud of the fact that the our partnership with them has not only enabled us create a more sustainable product range, but that the program we have chosen to support reduced poverty and waste in impoverished communities all around the world. Working with Plastic Bank, we’re able to support the collection of plastic within 50km of ocean-bound waterways and coastlines. Collectors from local communities gather the plastic waste directly from the beaches and riverbanks to stop it before it reaches the ocean. Stopping plastic at source is key because when plastic reaches the ocean it is much harder to capture. but what does that REALLY mean for sustainability in our supply chain? Let’s take a look at some key takeaways…
1: By 2050, there will be more plastic (by weight) in the ocean than fish
This shocking statistic is from a recent WWF report, and it highlights the importance of the environmental issue the FRSH Scents team have focussed on since day 1. Plastic is so convenient, so easy to use, durable and very cost-effective. This makes it a simple choice for manufacturers who strive to deliver quality products that are competitively priced for their customers. However, the durability of plastic becomes a problem if it’s not disposed of properly or even better recycled. More and more plastic finds it’s way into the oceans and is having a devastating effect on the wildlife within it.
Plastic in the ocean isn’t just visible on the surface either. You may see a stretch of beautiful blue waters with not a plastic item in sight, but that’s because such a huge portion of ocean plastic is found far beneath the surface. There has been a huge amount of plastic found on the ocean floor, with plastic even found in the Mariana Trench (the deepest part of the ocean)! Microplastics are also an increasing problem with these tiny fragments also being much harder to identify and capture.
2: A Garbage Truck Full of Plastic Enters the Ocean Every Minute
It’s this ever-increasing use and subsequent disposal of plastic that is leading us down a path of having a great amount of plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. Just take a look at the amount of plastic we all use and dispose of every day. Whilst we all would like to contribute towards a solution, as a consumer, we can feel a little helpless at times due to the lack of affordable alternatives when trying to make more sustainable purchases. For consumers to be able to contribute towards real change when they choose their products, manufacturers, distributors and retailers all need to ensure we’re offering the best solutions at prices that make them realistic alternatives for the public in general, not just those who can afford to pay that bit more. And that’s where our partnership with Plastic Bank comes in…
3: The Plastic Bank Turns Waste Into Worth
To collect the plastic, local communities are encouraged to collect the waste and exchange it for currency to help provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, health insurance, digital technology and more. This enables individuals to find a safe, secure source of income and a way out of poverty in a vulnerable area. The individuals play a vital role in the plastic collection and in return they are financially rewarded. This is a powerful program for coastline communities and the ocean alike. We play a small part in this program with our car air fresheners, as every product includes a small cash contribution that pays for the collection of the plastic waste. The positive impact of the program is being felt in communities all around the world and will continue to reduce poverty and plastic waste for years to come.
4: An average of 3 bottles are recycled with every FRSH Scents Purchase
We use this statistic a lot when we discuss sustainability and our work with Plastic Bank, but it can be difficult to appreciate what this means. When we say an average of 3 bottles are recycled, this is calculated by how much we have donated to support Plastic Bank Initiatives and what that equates to in ocean-bound plastic retrieved. Every time someone buys a FRSH Scents product, our offset program means that we are responsible for more plastic being reclaimed and recycled than we use. This means that each of our FRSH Scents products is Certified Plastic Neutral by Plastic Bank.
5: 1,165 Kilometres of plastic recycled to date…
If you stacked each plastic bottle (averaging 8” tall) on top of each other, it would reach 1,145km high! That works out as…
Reaching Outerspace almost 12 times
Reaching the Mariana Trench 103 times
Weighing more than 18 large male African Elephants
These figures continue to increase each year as we continually grow our range, our distribution network and our partners and collaborators throughout the world.
So if you want great air fresheners that support a great cause, then join us on the journey to less waste and choose FRSH Scents!
If you’d like to become a FRSH Scents car air freshener stockist or distributor, please get in touch and join our sustainability cause and support Plastic Bank with the removal of ocean-bound plastic from vulnerable communities around the world. Great products for a great cause.
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