Implement a plastic offset programme

People collecting plastic debris on a beach

The Plastic Offset Program (POP) launched by Starboard assigns an environmental value to plastics used in production according to their duration of use, toxicity and creation of waste. The scheme puts a price on the excessive use of plastics, while also encouraging business to use less plastics or use more recycled materials.

Globally, the world produces over 390 million tonnes of plastic per year, the equivalent weight of all humans on earth.

Source

Benefits

  • Encourages businesses to look at the plastic used in their products and processes
  • Puts a price on plastic impact, which incentivises change to reduce costs
  • Creates employment in local communities, while also making a positive environmental impact

Challenges

  • Does not necessarily create change within companies – they may just continue to pay to offset
  • There is no central system – so your company needs to set up its own programme with local communities
  • Needs to be carefully managed to ensure the plastic collection is happening and it is being disposed of correctly

Making a difference

For each board Starboard produces, they pick up 1.1 kg of beach / ocean plastic trash. This is the equivalent to the amount of plastic trash entering the ocean, per person, per year.

There are hundreds of other ways to solve plastic pollution

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Photo Credit: Sophie Dingwall