At ZenWTR, we pride ourselves with being first-movers on a mission!

In sustainability innovation, we’re the first (and only) beverage in the world to make our bottles from 100% recycled, certified ocean-bound plastic.

In our commitment to help leave the world a better place than we found it, we’re now also the first Beverage in the world to receive Plastic Negative Certification!

This is yet another step we are taking to make a positive impact beyond our own footprint.

Plastic Negative Certification & How it’s Achieved:

Being a “plastic negative” brand means we’ve committed to invest in programs that support the recovery and recycling of plastic waste from the natural environment equal to 200% of our annual plastic footprint for 2021 and for years to come.

In 2021, we conducted a third-party audit of our business with PwC (the second-largest professional services network in the world) in order to determine our annual plastic footprint, which is defined as the amount of plastic we put out into the world, from the bottles we produce to any other plastic that we use … be it from production, transportation or the sales process. (Important to note, our plastic footprint only takes into account the plastic we create. So even though we rescue and recycle up to 5 ocean-bound plastic bottles to make each ZenWTR bottle, that recycled plastic is not deducted in the plastic footprint calculation.)

Once we determined our annual plastic footprint, we partnered with the Plastic Negative Exchange (PCX) to identify programs and facilitate our financial support of them to help recover and recycle 200%, or twice, our annual plastic footprint.

(If we were going “Plastic Neutral,” we’d be working to cover only the equivalent to our plastic footprint.)

The plastic recovered through these programs isn’t necessarily Ocean-Bound plastic, but these programs have similar benefits to our use of ocean-bound plastic in that they help grow global recycling rates, clear our natural environment of plastic waste and create new economic opportunity for our recycling communities.

What does that mean for ZenWTR?

As you know, we only use 100% recycled, certified ocean-bound plastic to make our bottles. This supports the growth of global recycling rates and helps clean at-risk coastal environments (resulting in the prevention of ocean pollution.)

Now, through our Plastic Negative Certification in partnership with PCX, we are enabling the removal of additional plastic waste from the natural environment.

What is PCX?

PCX is the world’s first global non-profit fully integrated plastic offset platform that assigns value to plastic waste and creates incentives for under-developed populations around the world to help clean it up, changing behaviors at scale.

Its mission is to reverse the damage done by mismanaged plastic waste, particularly in vulnerable areas of the world, and build a future where no plastic waste winds up in nature.

PCX works with a wide ecosystem of partners around the world to facilitate the recovery, transportation and processing of post-consumer plastic waste. Brand partners like us, who commit to plastic negativity or neutrality — and become certified through a third-party audit — can rest assured that their products are part of the responsible consumption movement.

What Programs are we supporting?

In working with PCX, we will be supporting key global recycling projects on the frontlines of the plastic pollution crisis, prioritizing women micro-entrepreneurs in vulnerable communities.

One such program is the Aling Tindera collections program in the Philippines that incentivizes female market owners to turn their stores into local collection points for post-consumer plastic waste, paying local collectors cash in exchange for recovered plastics which are then sold to local recycling plants. PCX equips each of these market owners with the resources and training to run plastic waste collection stations and be champions for sustainability in their communities.

This program increases recycling rates and closes the recycling loop while clearing plastic pollution from the local environment and providing economic opportunity to plastic collectors and store owners alike.

Other Plastic Negative Brands:

With this new certification, we are giving our community another reason to feel good about supporting a brand that they know is making a difference.

If you’re looking for additional plastic negative brands to support, here are a few of our favorites:

• Ursa Major: Skincare
• Hard Bar: Snack Bars 
• No Evil Foods: Plant Based-Meat
• Sapling: Plant-Based Supplements
• Evolve Organic Beauty (UK) Beauty Brand

We’re on a mission to help prevent ocean pollution and our efforts to make a positive impact on our environment are ever-growing.  

In receiving our Plastic Negative Certification, we’re now able to help rescue even more mismanaged plastic waste and support the growth of even more recycling programs and communities.

So, every time you choose ZenWTR, know you’re helping us do a little more to make a positive impact on our planet.