Roughly 330 million tons of plastic is produced annually, accounting for eight percent of the world’s petroleum consumption, and up to 14 million tons entered the world’s oceans in 2010. Plastic easily enters waterways as trash, and it has the added problem of fragmenting into smaller pieces that become impossible to collect. Plus, plastic tends to absorb other pollutants already present nearby. These bits of plastic enter the food chain when consumed by animals like birds and fish.

Companies like Vanguard and Cyclewood Associates are taking creative and responsible approaches to how plastics are manufactured and discarded.

Over 25% of the plastic used to make Eco Baskets are sourced from discarded plastic bottles.

Cyclewood Associates has pioneered a method of taking bi-products from the paper mill industry to create a completely compostable bioplastic that leaves virtually no carbon footprint.

In 2017, the global bioplastics market generated revenue of $21,126.31 million, and is expected to grow at a rate of 18.8% in terms of value from 2018 to 2024 reaching $68,577.25 million by 2024.