Two environmental organisations have lodged a complaint with the Australian Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over the use of the terms “ocean plastics” and “ocean-bound plastics” in product marketing.
Tangaroa Blue Foundation, supported by the Environmental Defenders Office’s set of lawyers, have argued that the labels are used interchangeably to include plastics collected as far as 50 kilometres from the coast and that most of the recycled plastic is sourced from overseas.
“We’ve been working with Indigenous communities in Cape York, out on Christmas Island, Cocos Island, Northern Territory for more than a decade, and we’ve been removing up to one tonne of marine debris per kilometre from there,” said Heidi Tait, founder and CEO of the Tangaroa Blue Foundation.
“None of the stuff that we’ve removed, has a way to be recycled, because it’s degraded … it either gets burnt or buried.
“If there was a true credible way of doing this, why hasn’t it been created in Australia?”
Tangaroa Blue also said in its complaint to the ACCC that claims around ocean plastics were often accompanied by images of marine debris and aquatic life. However, it alleged that there was no evidence when buying products made from “ocean plastics” of where the plastics had come from.
Tangaroa Blue’s complaint has been backed by other groups, including Sea Shepherd Australia.
“It is nearly impossible for your average consumer to be able to scrutinise the environmental credentials of these companies who claim their products can clean up the ocean,” said Sea Shepherd marine debris campaigner Neils Glahn-Bertelsen.
The complaint highlighted two products that had used the terms “ocean plastics” or “ocean-bound plastics” on their packaging.
A crate sold at Bunnings said it was made from “ocean-bound plastics.” However, it was later pulled from shelves after concerns were raised about the term.
“While we were satisfied the product contained recycled material, we weren’t satisfied with our supplier’s claim it was ocean-bound,” said Bunnings director of merchandise, Jen Tucker.
“We removed the products from sale during the review, and worked with the supplier to restock them once the claim was removed from the label.”
The complaint will also look at Moo Yoghurt. The packaging said it was made from “100 per cent ocean-bound plastic” and that “Moo’s 100 per cent ocean-bound plastic tubs are helping keep our seas plastic free.”
Moo told the ABC that it was aware of the ACCC’s prying into greenwashing but that it was not concerned it was misleading or confusing customers.
The ACCC has said that greenwashing was one of its primary concerns this year and the watchdog has received several complaints about companies’ use of environmental claims in advertising, marketing and product packaging.
