- Limited edition washing-up liquid bottle is made from reclaimed ocean plastic – highlighting potential threat of toxic waste on both sea life and our own health
- Fish in the middle depths of the northern Pacific Ocean are ingesting up to 24,000¹ tons of plastic each year
- Partnership with Plastic Whale – the first professional plastic fishing company in the world
Ecover announce its on-going commitment to the health of the ocean and people by continuing with its innovative Ocean Plastic Bottle initiative.
The limited edition washing-up liquid bottle is back for the third year, available exclusively in Waitrose stores across the UK and is made from fully recycled plastic – 10% gathered from ocean plastic and a unique design which requires 15% less plastic than usual.
With 90,000 award-winning bottles sold in in the past two years, the initiative is part of Ecover’s on-going commitment to sustainable packaging which has a positive impact on both the planet and our health.
Not only does the reduction of plastic waste in the ocean make for healthier, happier fish and sea mammals, it also reduces the levels of micro-plastics found in food, drink and other products. ¹
It is estimated that over five trillion pieces of plastic² are floating in the world’s oceans, causing damage throughout the food chain4. By 2025, it’s estimated that fish in the middle depths of the northern Pacific Ocean are ingesting as much as 24,000 tons of plastic each year¹.
This is why Ecover has expanded efforts to collect plastic waste from various sources across Europe, the canals in Amsterdam being a key focus for the second year running in order to prevent plastic reaching the North Sea.
Pollution and waste dumped into our oceans doesn’t just disappear. In fact, as it continues on its lifecycle it erodes into plastic micro-particles which can act as a sponge absorbing chemicals and toxins. There is a threat that some of these toxic micro-particles can be ingested by marine life and therefore enter our food chains. Some of the compounds found in plastic have even been found to alter hormones or have other potential health effects which we don’t yet fully understand.³
At Ecover, we care about your home and how products affect both the wider and your immediate environment. We’ve spent more than 35 years pioneering effective, plant-based ingredients for our products, because we believe a healthy world starts at home with the daily choices we make.
As well as being kinder to the planet, the bottle itself has a unique design. Using ‘biomicry’, the structure of the bottle mimics single cell organisms found in the ocean that are able to create lightweight yet solid skeletal structures. This has enabled Ecover to create a design using 15% less plastic without compromising the strength of the bottle. The bottle design has won a number of awards* and the sea lavender and eucalyptus fragrance also provides gentle cues of the sea.
Clare Burke, Ecover Country Manager, UK said: “We have continued our Ocean Plastic bottle initiative to make it easier for people in the UK to help create healthier, happier oceans. The distinctive bottle design is inspired by nature as we believe that’s the best inspiration for our products and the delicate fragrance will bring the scent of the sea into people’s homes”.
Tom Domen, Ecover Head of European Innovation; “At Ecover we want to be a catalyst for cleaner oceans by raising awareness of the impact of plastic on marine life, which is why we’re continuing action to make sure less plastic reaches them. It is part of our sustainable vision on packaging improvement. We’re beyond the point where we want our packaging to be ‘less bad’- we want it to be positively better for the world. We need to rethink recycling and get serious about creating a real circular economy. We want this bottle to start a conversation around how we can create the conditions for a systematic clean-up of the sea.”
This year, Ecover has partnered with Plastic Whale to source plastic from canals in Amsterdam. Plastic Whale is the first professional plastic fishing company in the world. Its mission is to make the world’s waters plastic free by creating value from waste.
Ecover is the first company to create a bottle from ocean plastic and the project has quadrupled in size since 2014. Bottles will be sold in Europe including in the UK, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
The bottle will have a recommended retail price of £2 and is available in Waitrose stores nationwide.
A healthy world begins at home. Visit Ecover or find us on Facebook
References
1 http://www.nature.com/srep/2013/131121/srep03263/full/srep03263.html
2 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0111913
³ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/plastic-not-so-fantastic/
* The bottle design has won a number of awards including:
- International Red Dot Award: Communication Design 2014 for Packaging Design
- International Green Apple Awards 2014
- UK Starpack Industry Awards 2014
- UK Plastic Industry Awards 2014
- German Design Council for the German Design Award 2016 (nominated)
- Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum
About Ecover
Ecover is one of the largest producers of ecological washing and cleaning products in Europe. Founded over 35 years ago in Malle, Belgium, we were among the first to put phosphate free washing powder on the market. With a pioneering spirit, experience and clever science, Ecover has developed washing and cleaning products with plant-based and mineral ingredients that help consumers clean their homes with great efficiency and with minimal impact on our
What did Entertain the Kids think?
Obviously impressed that the bottle has been made from recycled plastic and plastic recovered from our seas. The bottle itself is really pretty but do be careful to keep out of the reach of your children as it can be easily mistaken for a bottle of water. A pleasant odour and washes the dishes a treat.
