Reef Smart cuts plastic

These products, which are designed for repeated in-water use, were previously printed on PVC, but Reef Smart will now print on biodegradable artificial paper, sealed within a recyclable polyester laminate. These new products will be identified with a biodegradable and recyclable label.

“Plastic pollution is one of the biggest issues facing the marine environment today and it is vital that we find ways to cut plastic production and find ways to recycle what already exists,” says Ian Popple, Managing Director of Reef Smart. “Although Reef Smart’s waterproof guides are not designed for single-use, we have nevertheless been searching for more responsible solutions in the production of these products; our switch to biodegradable and recyclable materials is a major step towards this goal.”

Humans have produced over 8 billion tonnes of plastic waste in the past 60 to 70 years. Less than one quarter is recycled or incinerated, leaving the vast majority (close to 80%) to end up in landfills and the natural environment where it can take centuries to degrade. Much of this plastic waste ends up in the oceans where it causes significant harm to the organisms that live there. Single use plastic, such as the plastic used as food packaging and the estimated 500 billion plastic water bottles produced annually, is among the most unnecessary and the most damaging.