Leading innovative, sustainable packaging pioneers, Planet Protector Packaging have won the inaugural 2020 Ocean Impact Pitchfest, an award celebrating and supporting businesses making a positive impact on Planet Ocean. With more than 200 applicants from over 38 countries, Team Planet Protector are flying the Australian flag and have won the Award that is underpinned by the UN Sustainable Development Goal Number 14... of “Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean”.
“Saving the ocean one pack at a time”, Planet Protector Packaging was established in 2016 in response to the global plastic waste crisis. They are on a mission to eliminate polystyrene from supply chains by replacing it with their ingenious environmentally responsible WOOLPACK Insulated packaging made from sheep waste wool.
An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean every year, with 42% of this plastic emanating from the packaging industry. Of this statistic, polystyrene is one of the worst types of plastic. Made from non-renewable fossil fuels, it does not break down, it is ingested by marine life and moves up the food chain where it is to the point of threatening our health and human life.
Joanne Howarth, Founder/CEO of Planet Protector Packaging is thrilled to be recognised by the Ocean Impact Organisation, saying “Winning is for us, an incredible honour as it supports us in our quest to eliminate polystyrene from our oceans and restore them to their abundant, flourishing state. At Planet Protector Packaging, we hero the humble sheep, who has become a secret weapon in defending our oceans from polystyrene. Being able to celebrate this very proud milestone with other like-minded innovators, all of whom are doing incredible work to create an abundant and sustainable ocean is very inspiring. We would like to thank Ocean Impact Organisation for their vision and for supporting businesses like us who want to positively impact the oceans.”
Since its establishment, Planet Protector Packaging has removed 6.5 million polystyrene boxes from supply chains – that’s the size of 40 Olympic sized swimming pools and over 100,000 cubic square metres of polystyrene that won’t end up in our oceans.
Co-Founder of Ocean Impact Organisation, Tim Silverwood said, “The competition within Pitchfest 2020 was incredibly strong with almost 200 applications received from startups and businesses operating in 38 countries around the world. The team at Planet Protector Packaging should be incredibly proud of their achievements in being recognised as the Winner from such a broad field of technologies and innovations.”
From meal kits, seafood, meat, cheese, chocolate and pharmaceuticals, Planet Protector Packaging work with iconic global brands including the likes of Blackmores, DHL and Baxter Pharmaceuticals. They are in the race to become the market leader in sustainable thermal packaging that doesn’t harm the ocean. Until now, there hasn’t been a sustainable alternative that could perform as well as polystyrene at a competitive price point.
Driven to protect the planet and its oceans from plastic, Planet Protector Packaging are innovators in the global sustainable packaging space and are passionate about inspiring and educating others to make a positive impact where they can.