Popular Science Ocean Plastic Recycling Certification OBP Ocean Plastic Certification, OC Ocean Recycling Certification, UL2809 Certification

Background of the ocean plastic recycling certification: The ocean is one of the least developed places on earth. Humans are accustomed to taking from the ocean and using it as a garbage dump. Studies over the past few decades have found that the ocean is under serious threat from humans. How serious is marine pollution? We discard one trillion plastic bags every year, which can circle the earth 4,200 times. We also use 500 billion plastic bottles every year. Plastic waste degrades very slowly, taking 50 years for foam cups, 200 years for aluminum cans, 450 years for plastic bottles, and 600 years for fishing lines. In coastal areas, marine pollution causes 250 million clinical cases each year. Contaminated shellfish causes 50,000 to 100,000 people to die each year due to impaired immune systems or cancer.

If we continue like this, what we will leave to our descendants will no longer be precious resources, but inexhaustible marine garbage!

In response to the problem of marine pollution, governments, non-profit organizations, brands, and companies are working on developing "marine plastic certification" that can dissolve in the ocean, which has attracted much attention. The purpose of marine plastic certification is to prevent more plastic from being discharged into the ocean and to ensure that plastic waste will not continue to be abandoned in certain areas of nature and carried into the ocean.

So what certifications are available for marine plastics? Here is a brief introduction to the popular marine certifications OBP, OC, and UL2809.

Ocean Plastics Certification (OBP)

Ocean Bound Plastic Certification is referred to as OBP. The OBP certification program was developed by the non-governmental organization Zero Plastic Oceans in collaboration with Control Union to protect the ocean from the continued leakage of plastics from land-based activities. (OBP) is also a type of plastic waste defined as "likely to flow into the ocean."

OBP Classification:

1. POTENTIAL OBP: OBP within 50 kilometers from the coast;

2. WATERWAYS OBP: OBP within 200 meters from the river bank or in the river;

3. SHORELINE OBP Shoreline OBP: The highest tide level is 200 meters to the land, and the lowest tide level is 100 meters to the sea.

4. FISHING MATERIAL OBP: Fishing gear and plastics used in marine fishing

Certification Program Structure

1. The program consists of two subroutines:

1. Ocean Plastic Recycling Subprogram: The goal is commercially recyclable OBPs, proving their origin and traceability. It aims to improve the recycling rate of plastic waste that is likely to enter the ocean to solve the problem of marine plastic waste. Since certified ocean plastics are more valuable, recyclers are motivated to collect more plastics, protect the ocean, and give plastics a second life.

2. Ocean Plastic Neutral Subprogram: (Additional Solution) Because OBP has no market and cannot be recycled technically or economically. This will be an effective way to reduce ocean plastic waste while rethinking the value chain of plastic waste management with social, ethical and environmental benefits. The program allows organizations to collect and process this "valueless" OBP and issue plastic credits that can be purchased by companies that want to offset their plastic footprint. The program is designed to be used by both companies willing to offset their plastic footprint and suppliers offering plastic credits.

Procedure applicable to applicants

1. Marine plastic recycling sub-procedure:

Organizations that collect ocean plastic

Recycle Bin

Companies that add ocean plastic to their products

2. Ocean Plastic Neutrality Subprogram:

Organizations, institutions, NGOs; industries involved in the collection and disposal of OBP

Organizations and industries specializing in processing and resource recovery

Organizations, institutions, NGOs and industries using plastics in products (OBP)

Ocean Cycle Certification (OC)

OceanCycle, or OC Certified for short, is an independent organization that verifies the origin and sourcing standards of recycled plastics. By 2025, it hopes to save 50 million pounds of ocean plastic from coastal environments.

OC certification clarifies the requirements and standards for recycling ocean plastics; and ensures that companies follow appropriate chain of custody procedures during the collection, processing, labeling and transportation of ocean plastics. OC is suitable for verifying that manufacturers or companies follow the correct chain of custody procedures when manufacturing ocean plastic recycling certified products to ensure that they meet international quality, ethical, environmental and labor standards.

OC Ocean Plastics

Plastic waste collected from within 50 km (30 miles) of a marine coastline or major waterway that reaches the sea in geographic areas lacking formal waste management. Material collected from major waterways other than the sea must not be closer than 200 km from the mouth or terminus of that waterway (e.g., plastic material collected from the Nile coastline must be within 200 km of the Nile mouth).

UL2809 recycled material content certification

UL2809 is a standard used by UL Certification Company in the United States to verify the recycled content of products. UL2809 recycled content verification can conduct third-party verification of the total content of post-consumer, pre-consumer, closed-loop recycled or recycled materials in products to prove that the product is as environmentally friendly as claimed.

UL2809 recycled material content certification:

Scope: Applicable to all products, such as plastics (including marine plastics) and their products, paints, electronic products, toys, kitchenware, clothes, etc.

UL2809 certified regeneration type:

Pre-consumer recycled content (PIR), post-consumer recycled content (PCR), total recycled content (RC)

Ocean plastic content (OP) / ocean plastic content (OBP)

Chemical Recycling

Closed Loop Recycled Material Content (ClosedLoop)

Biomass content

UL2809 certification advantages:

Stay away from "greenwashing" and stand out from similar products

Reduce risk and ensure compliance with buyer and regulatory standards

Helping companies demonstrate their ability to meet future challenges and meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

UL Green Product Database listed, UL label can be used on products, manuals, web pages, CSR reports, etc.

Obtain objective market environment and economic benefits.

After obtaining the UL2809 recycled material content certification:

Earn LEED credits, increase visibility of key metrics, and drive demand for your products

Use the UL Environmental Claims Verification seal on packaging and marketing materials

In the UL Green Product Database

Ocean Plastic Recycling Certification Consulting

What are the benefits of obtaining OBP, OC, UL2809 ocean plastic certification?

1. Access to higher value markets and environmentally conscious consumers

2. Actively participate in marine protection and biodiversity conservation

3. Have a positive social impact, creating jobs and better economic opportunities among disadvantaged groups

4. Comply with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and your own sustainable development goals

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