ABOUT
PLASTIC BEACH

Overview

Plastic Beach is a San Diego-based nonprofit committed to promoting sustainability by collecting and recycling soft plastic wrap in Southern California's commercial and community supply chains. We work closely with our partners to create custom collection and pickup plans, collaborating with TREX to recycle the materials into composite decking products.

Mission an Vision

Unrecycled High & Low-Density Polyethylene plastic (HDPE #4 and LDPE #2) is problematic.

Plastic Beach is changing things.

Our Mission: To steward environmental transformation by revolutionizing responsible recycling options for plastic wrap materials at the pre-consumer level.

Our Vision: To create a sustainable world with efficient plastic wrap recycling, reducing environmental damage and promoting responsible consumption. We work at the pre-consumer level to keep plastic wrap out of landfills and oceans.

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Our Principles

Grow through education

We educate retailers that plastic film material is recyclable, and provide them with a recycle collection service funded by charitable donations.

Collaborate with recyclers

We identify and collaborate with existing plastic film recyclers and collection services for the proper recycling of the material we collect.

Find like-minded partners

We work with volunteers, local business groups and similarly focused companies to expand collection and explore large-scale solutions.

Expand opportunities

We want to render materials into a raw product to be used in manufacturing (pellets) and/or finished products that can be sold onward.

OUR STORY

Our
Story

Plastic Beach Started in a Warehouse

It all started when our team began working in the shipping and receiving department of a large power sports dealership. Every week we’d open and throw out about 10 lbs of plastic film materials from wrapped parts, clothing, protective bubble wrap and pillows before the goods would hit the shelves for consumers.

Through research and conversations with other retailers, we discovered that plastic film materials normally get thrown in the trash. Since only 9% of plastic bags are currently recycled globally, we knew it was imperative to get business plastic film into the recycling pipeline.

Plastic Beach wants to radically grow the amount of plastic film material that gets recycled, currently only possible through a few major grocery chains in small amounts per customer.

OUR PARTNERS

Plastic Beach is proud to partner with businesses and organizations who share our commitment to reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainability. Together, we work towards a cleaner, healthier planet for future generations.