The final article in our 3-part series on "The Problem With Recycling" explores the causes of consumer mistrust in the greater plastic recycling system and steps that need to be taken to remedy it.

The plastic recycling rate is getting lapped by virgin plastic production. Because only a tiny fraction of plastic gets recycled, new material is being produced to keep pace with increasing demand. But that doesn't have to be the case.

For all the seemingly amazing benefits to plastic, its durability and convenience is proving to be a double-edged sword. It’s estimated that seven billion tonnes of plastic ended up dumped or in landfills between 1950 and 2017...

The impact of microplastics on our world is daunting; but every step we take to curb the creation of more microplastics, while also reducing how much of them continue lurking in the environment, makes a difference.

Reducing plastic waste is a winning issue for consumers. With so many examples of early success and ROI, there’s no better time to join the movement by committing to reduce plastic pollution and limiting the need for virgin plastic.

Brands committed to increasing sustainability by putting ocean plastic to good use deserve the infrastructure and data they need to verify their products and meet the standards that consumers demand.

Big Plastic (and Big Oil) have a five-decade lead and massive economies of scale that will take a little longer to match in terms of costs and simplicity. But working with the right partners and openness to shaking up the status quo is paying off for brands willing to put their principles and profits on equal footing.

Whether it’s using the carrot of incentives or the stick of regulations, change is possible — and strongly desired. So, what can brands do? Be proactive and make the extra effort to find and choose recycled plastic whenever possible.

When Kevin Murphy announced that all of its packaging would be made from “plastic pulled from the ocean,” it had every intention of delivering that. While the claim was doomed from the start, the company quickly communicated its mistake with tact, transparency and a plan to make it right.

While the terminology soup of recycled plastic sourcing is daunting, at the end of the day every ton of plastic recycled and put back into a circular economy is part of the solution. The key for brands is to be clear and honest in communications with customers.

“Averted Plastic” encompasses any mismanaged plastic waste. Oceanworks has expanded its marketplace to include this material — incentivizing entrepreneurs worldwide to divert all plastic waste into economical recycling programs.

Brand commitments are the engine driving recycled plastic’s transition to scale. Making recycled plastic content part of your brand story is hands down the most important way to move the needle.

To date, plastic recycling has nibbled around the edges. Just like with the climate crisis — no single nation or company can fix our plastic pollution problem on its own; success will only be realized via coordinated efforts.

More and more plastic is finally being recovered and recycled by companies that share Oceanworks’ commitment to ensuring that this feedstock becomes — and remains — a first choice for the industry going forward.

To fully address the plastic waste challenge, it is urgent to capture as much of it as possible. Diverting ocean-bound plastics is a worthy cause, but it only scratches the surface of the broader challenge of mismanaged waste.