09.16.11
Method has unveiled its latest innovation in sustainable packaging, this time a bottle made out of plastic collected from the North Pacific Gyre, often referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
The bottle is 100% post-consumer polyethylene, 25% of which is plastic collected from the Gyre, the company said.
Partnering with Envision Plastics, one of the largest recyclers in the U.S., Method pioneered an integrated new recycling process to engineer ocean PCR plastic that is the same quality as virgin HDPE plastic, according to the company. The process allows the plastic to be cleaned, unwanted contaminants removed completely, blended and then remanufactured into high quality plastic.
"We've created a usable bottle from ocean plastic and upcycled it into something useful that can be recycled again and again," said Adam Lowry, Method co-founder and chief greenskeeper. "Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness that the real solution to plastic pollution lies in reusing and recycling the plastic that's already on the planet."
According to Greenpeace, the gyre is an area the size of Texas in the North Pacific in which an estimated six kilos of plastic for every kilo of natural plankton, along with other slow degrading garbage, swirls slowly around like a clock.
Method said it is focused on collecting enough usable ocean plastic to create a significant supply and turning it into bottles. The company will be collecting usable plastic from several locations with volunteer organizations on Sept. 17, International Coastal Cleanup Day.
"This innovation demonstrates what America, California and forward-thinking companies like Method can accomplish when they combine strong business principles with responsible actions to protect our health and the world around us," EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson said. "By transforming the trash in our oceans into usable products that are safe for our children, our environment and our future, Method has proven that green business can grow our economy and create jobs."
At the unveiling yesterday, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee declared September 15 “Method Day.”