What Plastics Tidey Ocean Collects: Ocean-Bound, River, and Recyclable Plastic Explained

Tidey Ocean collects plastic from four primary sources: ocean plastic, ocean-bound plastic, river plastic, and nature-bound plastic.

Ocean-bound plastic refers to waste located within 50 kilometers of the ocean in areas with inadequate waste management systems. The organization estimates that approximately half of this plastic would eventually enter the ocean, while the other half would be incinerated.

Ocean plastic consists of debris currently in the ocean or that has washed ashore, causing significant environmental damage to marine ecosystems and human communities.

River plastic is extracted from rivers and streams and poses an extremely high risk of entering the ocean, regardless of distance from coastal areas.

Nature-bound plastic encompasses mismanaged waste situated more than 50 kilometers from the ocean, which will either be burned or create other environmental pollution.

Tidey Ocean processes multiple plastic classifications, including Type 1 PET (beverage containers), Type 2 HDPE (milk jugs and detergent bottles), Type 5 PP (yogurt containers), LDPE film plastic, and LLDPE film plastic. The organization prioritizes recycling collected materials rather than disposal through landfills, which often contaminate waterways in developing nations.

Burning plastic releases greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals into the atmosphere, directly harming human health.