Guide to Plastic-Free July

Plastic Free July is a campaign and global movement that runs each year in July and was is run by the Plastic Free Foundation. the campaign itself has been running since 2011 and has been gaining popularity each subsequent year it runs. On the the main goals of the Plastic Free July campaign is to […]
Trip to Northern Territory – Rubbish on the shore

In early May, the Plastic Collective Oz team (Louise and myself) were invited to ‘Rubbish on the Shore, a Think Tank on Country’, to contribute to discussions on ghost net and marine debris pollution in northern Australia. We undertook our journey to Northeast Arnhem Land, Northern Territory to participate in the Ghostnet Initiative workshop alongside […]
UN Global Plastics Treaty – the hits and misses of INC4

Last week, Ottawa hosted thousands of negotiators and observers for the fourth meeting of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) which is charged with negotiating by the end of this year a global, legally binding treaty to reduce plastic pollution. Plastic Collective was in attendance as an observer and also co-hosted a side event on […]
Types of Plastic: Guide to Different Plastic Types

Plastics are an extremely useful and flexible material. Because of this we often use plastics in our daily lives without giving them a second thought. One of the things that is overlooked when it comes to plastic types (although general awareness is growing) is that not all plastics are created equal when it comes to […]
How Fast Fashion is Bad for the Environment

Yves Saint Laurent was once quoted as saying, “fashions fade, style is eternal.” Sadly, with the arrival of the fast fashion movement, fashion these days does not have a chance to fade, it is almost immediately replaced with something new, as quickly as it arrives. Coupled with the immediacy of social media, the need to […]
What is the Global Plastics Treaty?

The Plastic Pollution Crisis The plastic pollution crisis began in the late 20th century when plastic waste increased exponentially and scientists in the 1970s began to see its effects on the environment. Plastic was a material that was once thought of as being the perfect material due to its flexibility as a manufacturing material, along […]
Plastic Pollution Facts, Data and Statistics – Plastic Collective

Plastic has permeated every aspect of human life due to its durability, versatility, and affordability. However, the convenience of using plastic comes at a steep environmental cost. The reality of plastic pollution extends beyond littered beaches and overflowing landfills. It impacts the ecosystem we depend upon. The aftermath of this man-made material is now an […]
Plastic Collective’s to Pledge to Improve Welfare of Plastic Waste Collectors in Emerging Nations

For almost eight years Plastic Collective has been working with remote and vulnerable communities around the world to address the plastic waste crisis where plastic leakage into nature is most extreme and destructive. Siblings Louise, Stephen and Dianne Hardman founded the business to address mismanaged plastic waste that leaks into oceans and nature and goes […]
The Plastic Impact on Climate Change

Climate change is a topic that is currently garnering a lot of attention in the media, especially with reports of unseasonal and extreme weather events that are taking place around the world. With this increased scrutiny there is a focus on the various contributing climate impact factors to identify what can be done to tackle […]
Social-Plus: A new Standard for improving waste picker conditions

The estimated 20 million waste pickers operating around the world [1] provide around 60 percent of the global collection volume for plastic recycled material [2]. However, waste pickers receive little to no recognition for their essential contribution to circular economy, environmental protection, and collection services. They work in high-risk conditions and are exposed to market […]