Canada Fibers’ affiliate Urban Resource Group has recycled ocean plastic into Lush Cosmetics' cosmetic containers as part of a series of trials.

The aim of the initiative is to turn harmful plastic litter that is being thrown into the ocean into eco-conscious packaging.

The present colloboration is a continuation of last year’s partnership where Lush offered plastic collected from a six month long ocean cleanup project led by volunteers.

The plastic was delivered to Urban Resource’s plastic recycling facility in Toronto, Canada.

Urban Resource claims to have taken this as a challenge of converting the assorted mix of plastic in quality plastic pellets, which can be once again used in a standard manufacturing process.

The two companies have cited The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s February, 2017 report, ‘The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics’, which said that the plastic content in world’s oceans could outweigh fish by 2050.

This alarming trend is what is believed to have triggered the two companies to come together once again and to recycle the plastic that ends up in the ocean.

Lush Cosmetics has also partnered with Ocean Legacy Foundation, an environmental non-profit organisation to collect about 25 tonnes of plastic from the ocean and shorelines of Vancouver Island in Canada.

Urban Resources stated that it wanted create value from this opportunity. The company’s staff scientists had developed processes through which the thrown-away plastic was converted back into pellets.

The plastic manufacturing company also stated it looks forward to testing new sources of ocean plastic and to process higher quantities in the coming years.

Lush Ethical Buyer, Gary Calicdan said: "Urban Resource Group was willing to adjust their system to support this important environmental cause. Their technological abilities allowed them to transform broken down pieces of ocean plastic into high-quality pellets that hit our standards.

Urban Resource Group and Canada Fibers senior executive Mark Badger said: "We are keen to be pushing the frontiers of material recovery and recycling with leaders like Lush. Together, we are providing creative solutions to global problems."

Image: Urban Resource Group’s facility receives plastic collected from ocean. Photo: Courtesy of Canada Fibers Ltd.