Home cleaning and body care manufacturer Method has launched a new line of sustainable packaging that keeps plastic litter from polluting the environment.
Packaging World reported that the brand uses 100% recycled recovered coastal plastic for nearly all its clear plastic bottle products sold in North America. The transition is part of a partnership with Method's parent company SC Johnson and social financial technology enterprise Plastic Bank.
"Our collaboration with SC Johnson is more than just a partnership; it's a rallying call to businesses worldwide to step up to end poverty and stop plastic pollution," Plastic Bank founder and CEO David Katz told Packaging World.
Recycled recovered coastal plastic is collected on land within 31 miles of a coast to prevent it from entering the ocean or landfills, where it can harm marine life or release planet-heating gases as it degrades. Furthermore, the project contributes to a circular economy by reducing the reliance on dirty energy sources to produce more single-use plastic bottles.
Method's initiative has already removed the equivalent of 3 billion plastic bottles, thanks to the efforts of coastal custodians globally. Participants from countries including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Brazil are compensated after dropping off bags of refuse at one of the 550-plus plastic collection centers established by SC Johnson and Plastic Bank.
According to Plastic Bank member Rasamee Praikrasin, she collects anywhere from 400 to 700 kilograms (882 to 1,543 pounds) of plastic weekly in Thailand.
"We collect, and we work hard, especially near the sea," she said in a promotional video posted to Method's website. "It's about doing our part so we don't disrupt the environment."
Method first used recycled plastics from curbside recycling programs for its plastic packaging and began using recycled recovered coastal plastic in 2012 for limited-edition bottles of hand wash and dish soap.
It's expanded the use of the material for packaging products such as all-purpose cleaners, foaming tub and tile cleaners, and laundry detergents. Packaging World noted that Method plans to release an updated design of its refillable gel and foaming hand wash bottles using recycled recovered coastal plastics later this year.
Other companies have joined the movement to reduce plastic waste, including Google, which is just 1% away from meeting its pledge to eliminate plastic from its packaging by 2025. Meanwhile, Walmart eliminated over 2,000 tons of single-use plastic by switching to recyclable paper e-commerce mailers.
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