HelloFresh will reduce ocean-bound plastic pollution by 1.6 million pounds over the next three years

Meal kit provider HelloFresh SE is partnering with plastic waste collection firm Plastic Bank to set up three plastic collection centres in Indonesia.

The aim of the partnership is to recover 750,000 kilograms, or 1.6 million pounds, of waste plastic from coastal areas over the next three years, and support over 560 local low-income families who will receive goods and services – either food, clean water or school tuition for their children – in exchange for collections.

“The entire transaction is secured on their blockchain platform, which tracks every step of the journey, creating a credit history for improved financial opportunities in the future,” HelloFresh officials said in a news release. “The collected plastic waste is recycled and reintegrated back into the plastic value chain as ‘social plastic,’ which is in turn manufactured into items such as bottles for household products through to clothing.”

“With this partnership we commit to preventing 750,000 kilograms of plastic, an equivalent of 37.5 million plastic bottles, from entering the oceans until the end of 2023 while supporting vulnerable communities,” said Tilman Eichstaedt, HelloFresh’s global vice president for supply, product and sustainability.

HelloFresh operates in Canada, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden, France and Denmark.