ZenWTR has become the first beverage brand to receive the Plastic Negative Brand Certification from the Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX). With this milestone, ZenWTR has committed to making its entire portfolio plastic negative and supporting programs that recover and recycle at least 200 percent of its annual plastic footprint for 2021 and onward.
In addition to producing its bottles using only 100-percent recycled, ocean-bound plastic, which supports the growth of global recycling rates and helps clean at-risk coastal environments, ZenWTR is enabling the removal of additional plastic waste from natural environments through its Plastic Negative Certification.
"We are constantly working to push the envelope with disruptive sustainability practices," said Lance Collins, founder of ZenWTR. "The use of PPE and other pandemic-related challenges have accelerated the global issue of plastic waste, so it was more important than ever for us to work toward this accomplishment, which helps to support the increase of global recycling efforts. We are excited to take this next step with our amazing partner, PCX, as the first Plastic Negative Beverage brand in the world."
In addition to sourcing ocean-bound plastic from at-risk coastal environments in Indonesia, Thailand and Ecuador, ZenWTR is also supporting local recycling programs through its partnership with PCX in vulnerable areas most-affected by plastic pollution. One such program is the Aling Tindera collections program in the Philippines that incentivizes female market owners to turn their stores into local collection points for post-consumer plastic waste, paying local collectors cash in exchange for recovered plastics which are then sold to local recycling plants. This program increases recycling rates and closes the recycling loop while providing economic opportunity to plastic collectors and store owners alike.
As ZenWTR continues to work toward its goal of rescuing 50 million pounds of ocean-bound plastic by 2025, the brand has also received recognition for its accomplishments through a number of noteworthy sustainability awards in the last year: the Business Intelligence group's 2020 Sustainable Company of the Year Award and 2021 BIG Award for Green Product of the Year, plus the 2020 SEAL Environmental Initiative Award.
