EarthPup Becomes Canada’s First Plastic Negative Pet Food Company
CONTACT INFO
Lucy Cullen
647-696-6388
lucy@earthpup.co
EarthPup Becomes Canada’s First Plastic Negative Pet Food Company
September 10, 2020
Toronto, ON
Toronto-based EarthPup, an all-natural and eco-conscious dog treat company, is the first Canadian pet food company to become certified Plastic Negative.
EarthPup has partnered with rePurpose Global to fund the collection, processing, and reuse of twice as much nature-bound plastic waste as it uses across its packaging and operations. By making this bold commitment, every EarthPup dog treat purchase will now carry a Negative Plastic Footprint.
By donating a percentage of every product purchase to plastic reduction efforts, EarthPup is enabling the equivalent removal of 200% of the plastic used to produce EarthPup’s dog treat packaging from the world’s landfills or oceans every year. Through its partnership with rePurpose Global, the company is supporting vetted waste management social enterprise, Taka Taka Solutions in Nairobi, Kenya to collect and process hard-to-recycle waste streams otherwise too low value to be reclaimed from the environment, such as chocolate wrappers, chips packets, and similar flexible packaging items.
By going Plastic Negative, EarthPup is not only tackling a $50bn/yr funding gap that plagues recycling supply chains worldwide but is also adding a crucial income stream for over 150 waste pickers and their families in Nairobi, Kenya. Today, informal waste workers often earn less than $5/day, work in precarious conditions, and face severe discrimination despite providing a crucial societal service for cities across the developing world. Through this initiative, the company is boosting these waste workers’ income by attaching value to hard-to-recycle plastics, while supporting experienced recycling social enterprises which holistically uplift ex-waste pickers through occupational safety, health insurance, and skills training.
As a prominent player in the pet food sector, EarthPup recognizes the grave threat that plastic pollution poses to the future of our planet and is planning to take further action against this epidemic.
EarthPup’s commitment to sustainability can be traced back to its launch. Not only is EarthPup certified Plastic Negative, but every bag of EarthPup treats also upcycles nearly half a pound of surplus vegetables. Adding to their sustainability commitment, a portion of proceeds go towards rehoming rescue dogs. “Our mission has always been to create a better future for our planet and for our pups. We believe pet food can be a tool for positive change,” said EarthPup Founder & CEO, Lucy Cullen.
“Now, more than ever, we need brands like EarthPup to take the lead on environmental action. Their decision to go Plastic Negative will undoubtedly resound across their industry, and we’re excited to help them achieve their sustainability goals moving forward,” said Svanika Balasubramanian, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of rePurpose Global, the world’s first Plastic Credit Platform helping people and companies take genuine climate action by financing the removal and recycling of ocean-bound plastic waste worldwide. The social enterprise co-designs and executes waste management and economic empowerment projects with a network of impact partners across 3 continents and 7 countries, including India, Indonesia, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Colombia.
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