Preventing 50 Million+ Plastic Bottles from entering the Ocean by 2025
HUM Nutrition announces large-scale sustainability initiative. (Credit: HUM Nutrition)
This Earth Day, wellness leader HUM Nutrition will be the first supplement brand to transition their bottle packaging to 100% ocean bound plastic in partnership with Prevented Ocean Plastic™. This sustainability initiative, Wellness for You and the Planet, will prevent the equivalent of 6 million water bottles from entering the ocean this year alone and is the latest step towards the brand’s 2025 vision: to prevent the equivalent of 50 million+ water bottles from entering the ocean and eliminate single-use plastic altogether.
HUM Nutrition’s mission is to help people look and feel their best with clean, clinically proven nutrients sourced from nature. Founded in 2012, HUM launched with lightweight 100% recyclable bottles, without any excess outer packaging. Today, the company is taking a major step to further reduce its environmental impact by transitioning to ocean bound plastic. “We are actively preventing plastic from entering the ocean and upcycling those plastics into fully recyclable HUM bottles,” says Maryam Tantaway, HUM’s Director of Product Marketing and Innovation.
According to the World Economic Forum, a truckload of plastic enters the ocean every minute. Without action, that amount is estimated to double by 2030. By 2050, there may even be more plastic than fish in our oceans. “Preventing that waste from reaching the oceans is critical. With over 10 million metric tons of plastic waste entering the world’s oceans each year, the need for large-scale global solutions is more pressing than ever,” says Vytas Gruodis, Co-Founder & Director of Bantam Materials, the supplier of Prevented Ocean Plastic
“We truly believe that by working together, we can make an impact towards a more sustainable future,” says Walter Faulstroh, CEO and Co-Founder of HUM. “Therefore, we’ve partnered with Prevented Ocean Plastics and other leaders in sustainability to completely reimagine our supply chain, and have joined the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment alongside 1,000+ organizations to ensure plastic never becomes waste or pollution.”
“We are proud to be the supply chain partner for HUM Nutrition, the first nutritional supplement company in the world to introduce bottles made of 100% ocean bound recycled plastic,” Gruodis shares.
Ocean bound plastic is plastic waste at high risk of ending up in the ocean. It’s found within 30 miles of a coastline or waterway feeding into the ocean, in countries that lack more advanced forms of waste management. With the help of local communities, plastic is collected, sorted and transported to recycling centers. Through a rigorous recycling process, raw materials are created and upcycled into 100% ocean bound plastic HUM bottles that can be recycled over and over. Every step is independently certified by OceanCycle to ensure product traceability within strict labor and environmental standards. Ocean bound plastic also benefits from a low carbon footprint and creates a positive economic impact to communities around the world.
“Through their adoption of Prevented Ocean Plastic™, HUM Nutrition is directly causing the equivalent of 6 million water bottles (160,000 pounds) to be collected and recycled this year alone, not only preventing plastic waste in fragile coastal environments from reaching the sea but [also] supporting local communities with vital extra income as well,” Gruodois explains.
In addition to new sustainable bottles, all labels and adhesives have also been re-engineered to be fully compliant with recycling best practices.
“Our commitment to a healthier planet is an ongoing process with more announcements to come in the future,” says Faulstroh. By bringing ocean bound plastic to the wellness space, HUM hopes to inspire other companies to follow suit for even greater impact. “By year’s end, 70% of our bottles will be made with this sustainable material, with the rest to follow shortly thereafter.”
Source: Company Press Release