Precious Plastic Melbourne (PPM) are a for-purpose suburban recycler who use the open source Precious Plastic recycling machines. They are a kind of personal business recycler. By joining forces with brands who recycle their own plastic, Precious Plastic Melbourne can effectively ‘close the loop’ in direct partnership with the company they support. The Dirt Company recapture refil pouches from customers and send them to PPM, who make 100 percent recycled laundry scoops out of them - ready to be sold to the next customer.
This partnership seems so obvious and logical that you'd think it would be everywhere, but it simply isn't. These kinds of solutions need a true circular - reverse logistics mindset - and a look outside of your existing supply chain to find a local recycler. Someone who actually recycles, not someone who collects your plastics and sends it to who knows where.
Creating products from 100% recycled plastic is challenging and it's even more complex when you have to sort plastic types, made in different factories. This is why the majority of ‘recycled’ products tend to be a mix of virgin and secondary materials. (You simply need the clean virgin plastic to ensure the integrity of the 'recycled' plastic.)
Upcycling, or ‘remanufacturing’ could be the balance we need between retail and the environment - recycling products and materials not only cuts down on manufacturing waste, it also helps divert waste from landfill and reduces emissions.
“WHEN SHOPPING FOR RECYCLED PRODUCTS, IT’S IMPORTANT TO CHECK WHAT PERCENTAGE OF RECYCLED MATERIALS ARE USED IN THE PRODUCT, WHERE THE WASTE HAS COME FROM, AND IF IT CAN BE RECYCLED AGAIN AT THE END-OF-LIFE. IF BRANDS AREN’T FORTHCOMING WITH THIS INFORMATION, THIS MIGHT BE A RED FLAG.”
With more and more consumers demanding sustainability and transparency, we’re seeing a shift towards truly sustainable innovation, and more holistic partnerships between brands and their customers - a sentiment that has certainly rung true for The Dirt Company.
“WE’VE ESSENTIALLY CREATED OUR OWN CIRCULAR ECO-SYSTEM, AND THE RESPONSE FROM OUR CUSTOMERS HAS JUST BEEN SO HEARTWARMING - WE SOLD OUT OF OUR INITIAL PRODUCT RUN WITHIN JUST THREE DAYS.”
You can contact Precious Plastic Melbourne or The Dirt Company via their Contact Us link.