Ocean Plastics: Take it to the Bank
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| 5 Gyre estimates number of plastic particles that adrift globally in 5.25 trillion |
The saying goes..."one Man's waste is another Man's treasure"...When it comes to ocean plastic momentum is gaining for a real 360-turn-around-opportunity. Brands like Social Plastic, Econyl, Aquafil, Ocean Positive, Parley for the Oceans, the Fourth Element, Dick Moby, Ecolaf, Outerknown, Adidas and several are leading the way in how to accept and embrace modern contradictions and find solution to the problem of ocean plastics contamination.
The Plastic Bank has come up with what seems to be more than a revolutionary statement and built a real inspiring business model to deal with ocean plastics.
"We make plastic waste a currency to help reduce global poverty, while stopping plastic from entering the Ocean," the Plastic Bank -recently priced and recognized says.
Vancouver Sun reported on December 14 from Paris United Nations UN COP21 where World Leaders gathered for the Climate Change Summit. During COP21 The Plastic Bank was awarded the prestigious Sustainia Community Award. “Vancouver’s David Katz and Shaun Frankson, cofounders of The Plastic Bank, were rewarded for their Social Plastic initiative which provides a business solution to alleviate poverty while sparing the oceans from being polluted with plastic,” Vancouver Sun reported.
"Thank you all so much for the love and support for our Social Plastic solution!! Now more than ever, we're inspired to alleviate extreme poverty, prevent ocean plastic and limit new plastic production!" Plastic Bank responded to the Award news.
2015 ended with 196 Nations adopting a Climate Agreement at COP21 in Paris in what supporters called a historic achievement. The respective governments will now need to adopt the deal aimed to tackle climate change.
Ocean contamination and plastics is as linked to climate change as humans are linked to the planet. For some time plastics in the ocean have been eyed as an opportunity for some forward looking individuals and organizations.
Several organizations, companies and known individuals have recognized the value of waste in the ocean and the opportunity of recycling it. From textiles to sunglasses to even sports gear and shoes, plastics and ocean waste as well as abandoned and dangerous fishing nets are being used to manufacture recycled ecological products which are more than a product.
Ghost abandoned fish nets have become a big problem. Ghosts nets not only contaminate oceans but pose a threat to species who get trapped in them. From Whales to the drag effect, to Turtles to entire mangrove or reef areas fishing nets can deplete an environment and cause injuries and even death of ocean species.
A new study revealed that fishing net entanglement on whales cause a body drag increase of 1.5 times and double energy costs for swimming whales as well as alters behaviours.
World Fishing and Aquaculture reported on December 15 on a new research made by a team led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution WHOI. Scientists have for the first time quantified the amount of drag on entangled whales that is created by towing fishing gear, such as rope, buoys, and lobster and crab traps.
Entanglement in fishing gear is the leading cause of death for North Atlantic right whales. Their migratory routes take them through some of the busiest commercial fishing areas along the East Coast of the United States and into Canada. Entangled whales can tow fishing gear for tens to hundreds of miles over months or even years, before either being freed, shedding the gear on their own, or succumbing to their injuries.
"We know that entanglement can change a whale’s diving and swimming behaviour and depletes their energy,” Julie van der Hoop lead author of the paper and a PhD Candidate in the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography told the media. Working with colleagues from NOAA Fisheries, van der Hoop used a tensiometer to measure the drag forces on various types of fishing gear collected from past right whale entanglements.
The team found that entanglement increases the total body drag to 1.5 times that of a non-entangled whale. "Entangled animals have to spend twice as much energy to swim at the same speed," van der Hoop said, based on results from a separate study.
Fortunately there are several organizations which have been working by collecting, recovering and even recycling fishing ghosts nets. These include big brand name collaborations such as Adidas and their project with Parley for the Oceans, Project Aware -a global community of divers, Ocean Positive and the Fourth Element -ocean scuba gear and recycled ocean textile brand, Dick Moby and their recycled ghost net eyewear line, Ecolaf -clothing line shift, Kelly Slater´s Clothing Line Outerknown made entirely of recycled ghost fishing nets, Aquafil and their unique product ECONYL and the names just keep adding as months go by.
"We support the right to fish, feed your family and community... but nylon netting is choking the ocean... In my opinion it is the greatest threat to our environment. It doesn't just pollute... It murders as it drifts," David Katz Founder of the Plastic Bank stated addressing nets in Phranang Cave Beach in Thailand.
The Plastic Bank says that 640 thousand tons of fishing gear are discarded annually into the ocean waters. United Nations estimated that 10% of the total waste found in the oceans today accounts for fishing nets often called ghosts nets.
In July 2015 Runner's World reported on how the momentum for the use of recycled fishing nets reached a high peaks. Adidas unveiled a new prototype show created from ocean ghost illegal fishing nets. “The prototype aims to raise awareness for protection of the seas,” Adidas stated.
Runner's World added that before runners used to do their part to preserve the environment by recycling old shoe boxes but thanks to Adidas they can now take the cause one step further. The shoe was created in conjunction with Parley for the Oceans, a group that aims to raise awareness “for the beauty and fragility of our oceans and collaborate on projects that can end their destruction”.
Adidas teamed up with Parley for the Oceans to create this unique prototype. “Our objective is to boost public awareness and to inspire new collaborations that can contribute to protecting and preserving the oceans,” said Cyrill Gutsch, the founder of Parley for the Oceans, in a press release. “We are extremely proud that Adidas is joining us in this mission and is putting its creative force behind this partnership to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something cool.”
Ecouterre reported last year on Dick Moby´s Eco-Sunglasses Project and their ahead of the pack progression. “These sustainable sunglasses from Dick Moby were born from an urge to address the plastic pollution in a positive way. As avid surfers and sailors, the duo behind brand – Tim Holland and Robbert Wefers Bettink- had witnessed a build-up of trash in the ocean. So during surf trips way back when they began talking about how to do something proactive. They decided to build on the idea of sunglasses created from a recycled source,” the media then reported.
On December 14 Ecoalf jumped on the trend. “Since September (2015), a fleet of 160 fishing vessels have been trawling the depths of the Mediterranean Sea, just off the coast of Levante in Spain. Their strange catch? Plastic waste, which Ecoalf plans to recycle into pellets, thread, fabrics, and eventually clothing. Together with its waste-reclamation partners, Ecoalf says it hopes to create high-quality filaments that boast up to 100 percent recycled content” the news read. “Ecoalf is all about not using natural resources,” Javier Goyeneche, the company’s founder and CEO told Ecouterre.
Not far from Italy in Spain another brand is making tremendous noise in the recycling of fishing nets, its noise actually sounds like beautiful music. The company is Aquafil with decades of experience. Through their ECONYL registered trademark their are without a doubt leading industrial recycling process. The company not only focuses in recycling fishing nets and usable waste but takes energy and water saving in their operations very seriously. Brands like Ocean Positive and The Fourth Elements and organizations like Project Aware are linked, support and or use ECONYL raw material.
Aquafil invested nearly 25 million Euros in the ECONYL Regeneration system which they assure is the “world's most efficient industrial system for the production of Nylon 6 from 100% regenerated waste materials”.
They company is proud not only of their technology and unique process but of the entirely new specialized supply chain which needed to rise to be able to manufacture their product. Aquafil created a worldwide international supply chain.
The chain is active and working gathering large quantities of material to recycle and regenerate from all over the globe including the United States, Egypt, Pakistan, Thailand, Norway and Turkey.
It may seem hard to link ocean to work conducted to alleviate poverty. It is often mistakenly believed that ocean life style is for the most privileged sectors of society but nothing is further from the truth. Civilization itself since the beginning of time has fed and nourished off the ocean not for survival but as the way of life. Today there are billions of people who depend directly on the ocean for life. From developed to undeveloped countries ocean, its development, its resources and its alterations impact humanity.
The Plastic Bank has managed to directly link work to alleviate poverty with the ocean and while doing so has taken hands on a major issue, ocean waste and contamination.
The Plastic Bank´s Social Plastic in a record time obtained 1 million likes on its social networks and Facebook. The organization urges its supporters to push Authorities and Government and known brands to use Social Plastic instead of normal plastic in this way to maximize their results and increase ocean plastic recycling.
Social Plastic assures that their work helps to convert waste plastic into a currency which can alleviate poverty. Social Plastic says that there are 14 million pounds of garbage dumped into the ocean every year.
How does it work? The Plastic Bank creates partnerships with recyclers in diverse locations obtaining the raw "waste" plastic and use it to create Social Plastic, then they sell and push this product to world brands.
The Plastic Bank is now operating in Peru, Haiti and Colombia. The Bank identifies heavy contaminated basin, some include river ways which eventually discharge into ocean basins and there they set up shop. They skill or team up with local recyclers who are usually stigmatized by poverty and lack of opportunities. They set a value for a pound of plastic delivered to their main waste collection sheds and the word spreads quickly in the area which become productive through recycling activities.The project creates local jobs while cleaning up heavily contaminated environments. The plastic is then shipped to reach the Social Plastic manufacturing process. The Plastic Bank uses recycled plastic from these areas to create Social Plastic a raw product made of 100% recycled plastics.
Some argue that the prices of recycled plastic can not compete with those of normal plastic but those who support recycled plastic say that a hidden value is found in recycled plastic that should not be considered a cost. This value -that of alleviating ocean contamination and now alleviating global poverty is inspiring.
The Plastic Bank hsa already obtained recognition, initiated operations, created several unique business models and even securing important clients such as LUSH Cosmetics but still pushes and presses for more. They want big names and large brands to use their product.
"Currently the best way to help reveal value in social plastic is to ask a brand to use Social Plastic using social media or direct email," Social PLastic says.
“I’ve come to realize that the problem with plastic waste, is that people see it as waste. But if we can reveal the value in plastic, we can make it too valuable to throw away. If we can reveal value in people, we can unleash the potential of the world’s most disadvantaged and give them a platform to improve their lives,” Founder David Katz explains.
The Plastic Bank believes that job creation programs are the solution in the fight against extreme poverty and poverty. Job creation is known to be more effective than aid programs. Social Plastic adds that 10 thousand tons of waste creates only 1 job when incinerated and the same amount of waste creates six jobs when landfilling but when recycling job figures increase exponentially. A total of 36 jobs are created when recycling 10 thousand tons of waste.
David Katz came up with the Plastic Bank inspired by the triple bottom line “People, Planet, Profit”. His goal to impact a billion people or more.
When waste enters the ocean it enters a global cycle. Not only are plastic deintegration rates incredible slow measured but its mobility is fast and global bounded to global currents. Global currents move from shores to depths to mid oceans to coast lines. Waste under the influence of oceanic global currents know no boundaries nor political frontiers. Developed and underdeveloped countries are both affected.
"The rugged West Coast of Canada isn't immune to the carelessness of people either. How are the beaches near you? Post a photo... show the world," The Plastic Bank calls from the social sites.
The Plastic Bank has been building up since 2013 and started their Peru and Colombia projects in 2014. That same year received support from over 130 countries who signed the Facebook petition. In early 2015 The Plastic Bank launched its full operations in Haiti through Solar Powered Social Plastic Recycling Markets. Plans are now in place to expand this model globally. Contamination in these basins can be considered extreme contamination.
But the Plastic Bank is not alone in their ocean contamination cleanup recycle projects. In fact for several years the issue has been on the minds of several...
On July 20 2015 international press reported that Professional Surfer Kelly Slater -11 Times World Champion of the World Surf League and still ranked Number 9 in the Elite Surfer World Tour took the cause seriously. Slater launched a clothing line made to tackle two pressing environmental issues at the same time: textile waste and ocean plastic. Slater sustainable menswear label, includes a line of 100 percent recyclable clothing made from reclaimed fishing nets.
“I created Outerknown to smash the formula,” Slater, who parted ways with longtime sponsor Quiksilver to launch his own brand said. “To lift the lid on the traditional supply chain and prove that you can actually produce great looking menswear in a sustainable way,” Slater ended it. The brand’s Evolution Series features board shorts and jackets made with Econyl of Aquafil.
Another project which catched up early with the movement was Raw for the Ocean which in hands of the Artistic Director Pharrell Williams was instantly taken into star dimensions. Born in 2014 and continuing its expansion throughout 2015 and with plans for 2016 the organization “retrieves plastic from our oceans and transforms it into denim". Awesome is an understatement.
Raw for the Ocean teamed up with Parley for the Oceans received support from Sea Shepherd. They say that they are proof that recycled ocean waste can also be woven into high quality designers denim.Step 1 is out of the ocean -Sea Shepherd says that there are today six times more plastic in the ocean than sea life, Step 2 the plastic once out of the ocean is broken into chips and shredded to fibbers ready to spun and Step 3 is all about Spinning the Yarn. Raw for the Oceans uses Bionic® yarn which is helixed with cotton to produce denim. But they too are not alone…
Jack Johnson -leading a movement of its own kind offers plastic tips and says that being active is a must when facing the issue. “Get active in legislation and promote corporate responsibility. Join groups like Surfrider, 5 Gyres and Upstream and help advocate for extended producer responsibility laws in each and every state. Ask businesses to take responsibility for the products and packaging they are putting out into the world,” Jack Johnson says. Johnson adds that while plastic bags have already been banned in Hawaii many US States -and other countries still use them.
5 Gyre -doing incredible work in the plastic ocean waste sector and focusing on even the smallest pieces of plastic, microbeads said goodbye to the year and welcomed a new with a strong call.
“Thanks to you, our dedicated community of activists, supporters and partners, it has been an incredible year! We've passed two microbead bills in California and national legislation that was signed by Obama a few days ago. We completed our SEA Change Expedition through the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre and organized a Youth Action Summit in the Bahamas. We launched the Ambassadorship Program to empower key volunteers to speak about the issue of global plastic pollution and help drive solutions in their local communities.We have big plans for 2016 and with your support we can turn the tide on plastic pollution flowing into our global waters,” 5 Gyre stated.
Surfrider is another organization with 30 years of experience and founded by Surfers. Surfrider has built a network of coastal defenders who transform their passion for our coasts into lasting protection.”Over the last three decades we have a track record of more than 300 victories (since we started counting in 2006!). We don’t just play. We win.Our focus is 100% on our ocean, waves and beaches,” the organization states.
Project Aware -a global organization composed of volunteer divers coming from all over the world explains just how much hard work goes into retrieving abandoned ghost fish nets from ocean environments. Diving groups face days of up to 14 hours of work to recollect the fish nets from shipwrecks or coral reef areas or wherever they are found. They check their gear which not only includes the usual tanks, rebreathers, vest and others but as well cutting tools and specific equipment. Nets are tricky to release and the task can be dangerous. Once the net is out of the water -task which can take up to 4 hours of good depth diving, they are air lifted to the surface and go into the boat where they are cleaned off from any ocean organism. After that the day is not over the dive group must dock and once again unload the heavy and deteriorated ghost nets for final recycling and regeneration destination.
If the thought of a massive island of ocean waste floating in the mid of the Atlantic ocean scared us before, or if the scientific studies which quantified ocean plastic presence shocked us in the past, or the grim and dark photographs from distant off shores polluted to the bone with images of young children who had never seen a clean coast depressed us today they still do, but a different feeling arises a feeling of hope, a feeling of knowing what can be done. There is so much that can be done and so many incredible people and organization taking action that taking a first, second or the hundred step for action becomes a step which can be taken with pride and an immense smile which comes with the feeling of hitting it right on the spot.
