Large corporations are inspired by TONTOTON to take responsibility for their contribution to the growing plastic pollution crisis.
Founded by Environmentalist, Futurist, and company CEO Barak Ekshtein, TONTOTON is a Vietnam based, certified plastic neutralization program. The company was established to collect and recycle large quantities of non-recyclable or “orphan plastic” before it reaches Southeast Asian waterways while simultaneously inspiring large corporations to take responsibility for their contribution to the growing plastic pollution crisis through the adoption of TONTOTON’s certified “Plastic Credit” System.
What is a Plastic Credit?
Like Carbon Credits, Plastic Credits are a newly developed commodity which a company may purchase to offset their organization’s plastic footprint or to add environmental and social IMPACT to their brand and product as part of their CSR programs. Plastic Credits are based upon the weight per ton of the total plastic which the company produces. IE: 1 measured ton of plastic equals 1 Plastic Credit.
The funds invested into plastic credits go towards Southeast Asian plastic pollution cleanup projects, where local pickers gather, bag, and remove for processing into usable energy the equal amount of plastics the company produces. If a company purchases Plastic Credits equal to the total amount of plastic they produce, then they achieve a plastic neutral status, and plastic neutrality is the key to balancing plastic consumption on the plastic the company can’t avoid.
Reaching its 100th ton of ocean-bound non-recyclable plastic, TONTOTON keeps true to its mission of neutralizing plastic footprints, one ton at a time. These rescued plastic wastes are then converted to energy through co-processing, helping cement factories reduce coal-based fuel by at least 20%.
As we need to take immediate action and stop the endless flow of plastic waste into the ocean as well as reduce air pollution caused by open-air plastic burning, TONTOTON, with the help of international companies, offers both immediate and long-term solutions.
TONTOTON activities are currently focused in poor waste management areas of North and South Vietnam; they plan expansion into additional Southeast Asian countries in 2022. The vision is to build well-functioning recycling practices in local SEA communities, which will inevitably become self-sustaining and effective ecosystems.
In addition, as TONTOTON provides low-income workers, primarily female, with sustainable earnings, personal protective equipment, and primary health insurance benefits, they are facilitating a powerful social impact.
“After many years of activity in the reusable packaging market, we have seen a growing demand for sustainable impact from our customers. I have seen that single-use plastic cannot be recycled and therefore is not collected, I call it “orphan plastic” and it constitutes much of the waste in the environment and in the oceans. Through our certified plastic credit system, we have built a solution allowing companies to support the treatment of “orphan plastic” while making both an environmental and social impact. It is meant as a tool to influence and reduce a company’s plastic footprint, therefore supporting a cleaner environment,” said Barak Ekshtein.
This feature was produced by TONTOTON on 21 July 2021, reposted via PACNEWS.
Banner: Little Girl on a polluted Vietnamese beach. Photo: TONTOTON
