Ocean Brands Enhances Commitment to Plastic Neutrality with Cleanhub Partnership

New sustainability initiative will support female-led recycling program in Indonesia

RICHMOND, British Columbia, Feb. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of its ongoing commitment to protecting and preserving the planet, Ocean Brands GP is excited to announce its partnership with innovative sustainability start-up, Cleanhub. Based out of Berlin, Cleanhub works with businesses to fund the collection and recovery of low value plastic, recycling it or turning it into alternative fuel, as appropriate. Ocean Brands will be sponsoring one of Cleanhub’s newest global projects, Tridi Oasis, a female-led recycling initiative in Jakarta, Indonesia that removes plastic waste from the local community.

The partnership with Cleanhub further solidifies Ocean Brands’ mission to achieve plastic neutrality across its brand portfolio. As the organization continues to work towards incorporating as much recyclable material as possible into its operations, this initiative will help to offset the necessary use of any non-recyclable components in the meantime. Since 2017, Ocean Brands has removed a total of 60 tonnes of plastic from the packaging used by its brands and continues to prioritize further reductions. At an industry level, Ocean Brands recognizes 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. Ocean Brands remains at the forefront of industry innovation and continues to work closely with suppliers and retailers to pursue creative solutions to the challenges that food packaging presents.

“Environmental stewardship is a top priority for Ocean Brands and our partnership with Cleanhub will help us to continue to take sustainable action in a meaningful way,” says Ocean Brands President, Ian Ricketts. “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. 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.”

As a B Corp certified organization, Ocean Brands is intentional about seeking partners that align well with its prioritization of sustainability, environmental performance, public transparency and accountability. Cleanhub’s unique approach to finding more sustainable ways to manage waste will further contribute to Ocean Brands’ journey towards plastic neutrality by continuing to remove plastic from the environment.

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

The Tridi Oasis program currently recycles 750 tonnes of PET plastic each month, in addition to creating employment opportunities for members of the community and contributing to local education efforts about the effects of plastic pollution. Ocean Brands’ support will allow for further expansion of the program as Tridi Oasis develops a new collection system for non-recyclable plastics in partnership with local suppliers, thus opening new income streams for the entire recycling industry in Jakarta.

“Globally, 91 per cent of plastic waste goes unrecycled and 80 per cent of all plastic waste that ends up in the oceans is classified as non-recyclable. Cleanhub gives these non-recyclable plastics value by repurposing them and empowering local communities to reduce pollution at its source point – before it can ever enter the environment,” adds Tasche.

All plastics collected through Cleanhub’s global network of partner programs is either recycled or used as an alternative energy source, all the while ensuring that our oceans stay clean. Environmentally conscious companies like Ocean Brands become part of the solution by calculating their own plastic footprint and paying for the equivalent to be collected through Cleanhub, ultimately allowing them to achieve plastic-neutral operations.

The Cleanhub partnership is the latest addition to a multitude of initiatives undertaken by Ocean Brands to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship. To learn more about Ocean Brands and its eco-friendly efforts, please visit https://oceans.ca/sustainability/. Additional information about Cleanhub can be found here: https://www.cleanhub.io/.

About Ocean Brands
Ocean Brands is a division of the Jim Pattison Group, one of Canada’s largest private companies with annual revenue of $10.9 Billion and 48,000 employees in 541 locations worldwide. Ocean Brands is a leading supplier of canned salmon and tuna in Canada under the Gold Seal® and Ocean’s® brands. Ocean Brands is also a Certified B Corporation, having met the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and accountability to balance profit and purpose. As a B Corp, Ocean Brands measures and manages the impact of its business on its workers, community and the environment, with as much rigor as it manages and monitors its profits.

About Cleanhub
Based in Berlin, Cleanhub is an innovative sustainability start-up dedicated to preserving and protecting the world’s oceans by effectively managing plastic waste before it enters the environment. Together with brand partners, Cleanhub empowers local communities around the world to manage the collection and safe disposal of single-use and non-recyclable plastics. Treatment and recovery partners are also engaged to allow for non-recyclable waste to be turned into alternative fuel. To date, more than 30 businesses from around the world have joined forces with Cleanhub to protect the future of the planet.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact:
Erica Morgan
WILD Public Relations Inc.
403-478-1357
emorgan@wildpr.ca