To help stem the tide on ocean plastic and to secure a sustainable future for generations to come, M.B. Nieuwenhuijse and LC Packaging have supported the extraction of 50,000 kg of ocean-bound plastic through their partnership with Plastic Bank.
Plastic soup and the recycling challenge
About 1.5 years ago, LC Packaging and M.B. Nieuwenhuijse decided to look into initiatives to offset the possible negative environmental effects of used net bags that end up in Africa and other developing countries. These countries generally lack a proper waste collection and recycling infrastructure for net bags. While net bags are still the most effective and efficient packaging for export onions in terms of maintaining product quality and preventing spoilage and waste, they are difficult to recycle due to the structure of the material. Consequently, used net bags could pollute the environment and even end up as ocean plastic.
With this information in mind, the two family-owned companies decided to reach out to Plastic Bank. Plastic Bank builds ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities, and reprocesses the materials for reintroduction into the global supply chain. Plastic Bank empowers the Social Recycling movement that stops ocean plastic and helps alleviate poverty. Collection communities exchange plastic waste as currency for income and life-improving benefits. Soon after the first introduction, LC Packaging and M.B. Nieuwenhuijse entered into an Impact Partnership with Plastic Bank.
Plastic neutral net bags that make an impact
During a period of one year, LC Packaging and M.B. Nieuwenhuijse have contributed to the extraction of the equivalent of 2,500,000 plastic bottles from the environment, while improving lives in collaboration with Plastic Bank. Each net bag supplied by LC Packaging to M.B. Nieuwenhuijse prevented 56 grams of plastic, or 2.8 single-use plastic bottles from entering the ocean. The onion bags involved were plastic neutral, meaning for any plastic used in the bags, an equivalent amount of plastic was collected and recycled from the environment in collaboration with Plastic Bank.
In total, 382 collectors from 70 local communities have been able to benefit. Collection members exchange plastic waste at Plastic Bank collection branches and receive bonuses for the materials they collect. This helps them provide basic family necessities such as groceries, cooking fuel, school tuition, and health insurance.
A sustainable focus
“LC Packaging is committed to contribute to a world without waste. This partnership fits very well into our 2030 Ambition that includes goals in the field of Living Wage, Circularity and Climate Action”, states Lucas Lammers, LC Packaging’s CEO. “We would like to thank M.B. Nieuwenhuijse for joining us in minimising the potential negative impact of the net bags on the environment by neutralising these bags in collaboration with Plastic Bank.”
Koen Nieuwenhuijse, Director of M.B. Nieuwenhuijse, looks back at a successful partnership: “This partnership has been an effective way of reducing the environmental impact of the packaging we use, while also supporting local communities. Unfortunately, the plastic problem keeps growing. Together with LC Packaging, we are therefore looking into ways to increase our impact even further towards the future.”
For further information about the way these onions and their packaging help to turn the tide on ocean plastic, please visit our website.
Learn more at plasticbank.com
M.B. Nieuwenhuijse B.V. also invests in sustainable solutions, with the installation of solar panels as a recent example. Visit the website.