A Richmond company is partnering with a Berlin-based startup to support a plastic-free and recycling program in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Ocean Brands – a supplier of canned salmon and tuna – is partnering with Cleanhub, a sustainability startup, in a new recycling program called Tridi Oasis.

The program aims to not only remove plastic waste from communities in Jakarta, but to also raise awareness about plastic pollution.

Cleanhub works with businesses around the world to fund the collection and recovery of low-value plastic at the source of pollution in developing countries. Ocean Brands jumped on board with Cleanhub to sponsor its newest Tridi Oasis program as both companies’ mission to keep the oceans clean aligned.

Together, they will be leading the collection and recovery of plastic, recycling it or using it as an alternative energy source, where possible.

The program will help “offset the necessary use of any non-recyclable components” for the time being and will add to their goal of achieving “plastic neutrality” globally, explained a statement from Ocean Bands.

“There is still work to be done in order to create fully recyclable alternatives to multi-layer or ‘retortable’ plastics that are currently needed to keep certain food products fresh until they reach the consumer,” reads the statement.

Ian Ricketts, president of Ocean Brands, said environmental stewardship is one of their top priorities in the partnership with Cleanhub.

“We know that change takes time and are committed to rising to the challenge of making our products and processes as environmentally friendly as possible,” said Ricketts.

“We are glad to be able to engage in this opportunity as a means of offsetting our current operations as we work towards a better, more sustainable future for our industry.”

Currently, the Tridi Oasis program recycles 750 tonnes of PET plastic each month and has also created jobs in Indonesia, which in turn provides local education about recycling and pollution.

According to Cleanhub founder Joel Tasche, globally, 91 per cent of plastic waste goes unrecycled and 80 per cent of all the plastic waste in the ocean is non-recyclable.

“We are passionate about finding more sustainable ways to deal with waste and empowering organizations, communities and individuals to be part of a global solution that eliminates plastic pollution,” says Tasche.

“We are excited to have Ocean Brands’ support in growing and sustaining the important work being done by the Tridi Oasis project.”

To learn more about Ocean Brands and its eco-friendly efforts, go to oceans.ca/sustainability. 

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