Unlike Ocean Plastic, which increasingly decomposes in the water due to UV rays and salt, Coastal Community Collected Plastic is not collected directly from the ocean, but from coastlines, rivers or beaches – before it reaches the sea through rain, wind or the tides. Honest Ocean has chosen a neuralgic point on the coast of Indonesia for the collection, where the amount of plastic is particularly high. Clean drinking water is available almost only in plastic bottles. However, currently Indonesia does not have the necessary recycling infrastructure. Therefore, the young company based in West Java has created the necessary infrastructure locally and established a 360-degree supply chain.
Honest Ocean works with local collectors and recycling companies. First, plastic waste is collected and sorted by type, color and size. The recyclable material is dried in the sun before being bagged. Then it is washed before finally being processed into pellets or flakes for new products. The recovered rPET is resold and reused. Customers receive an appropriate safety data sheet.
To make the entire process transparent from source to recycling, Honest Ocean works with Empower, the global leader in certification and traceability of recycled plastic. Using blockchain, the digital platform makes it possible to accurately track the material's journey. Processors who purchase rPET from Honest Ocean at Meraxis receive a corresponding "Product Passport" to mark their products. This allows end consumers to see on which beach, riverbank or village the material they are holding in their hands was collected – even with verified photos. In times of conscious consumption, this transparency is more important than ever.
Honest Ocean takes not only an ecologically but also a socially sustainable approach. Especially in the small communities of Indonesia, the unemployment rate is high. The company's commitment creates long-term jobs and a stable income for local people. Honest Ocean trains residents and provides them with the necessary equipment so they can give plastic waste a value again and pursue a sustainable business model.
