Ditch the plastic

A fitppl initiative to eliminate plastic in products

Ditch the plastic

A fitppl initiative to eliminate plastic in products

Plastic pollution is a crisis, so we've been committed to removing it from all our products since day one.

productsustainability

Bagasse scoop inside

Each bag includes a bagasse scoop, a plant fiber left over after the production of sugarcane. 100% biodegradable and completely compostable.

No Plastic Tub

From the very beginning, we've never used plastic tubs or scoops, which has helped us eliminate thousands of pounds of waste and single-use plastic.

Why this matters

8,000,000 METRIC TONS OF PLASTIC DUMPED INTO WORLD'S OCEANS EACH YEAR

46,000 PIECES OF PLASTIC FLOATING IN EACH SQUARE MILE OF OUR OCEANS

80% OF POLLUTION ENTERS THE OCEANS FROM LAND

93 % of Americans age six or older test positive for BPA

Why this matters

8,000,000 METRIC TONS OF PLASTIC DUMPED INTO WORLD'S OCEANS EACH YEAR

46,000 PIECES OF PLASTIC FLOATING IN EACH SQUARE MILE OF OUR OCEANS

80% OF POLLUTION ENTERS THE OCEANS FROM LAND

93 % of Americans age six or older test positive for BPA

A complex issue

Each year, humans produce nearly 300 million tons of plastic. The average American alone throws away about 185 pounds of plastic annually. Half of all plastic consumed is single use. That’s enough to circle the earth four times. Researchers estimate that between 15-40% of plastic waste ends up in the oceans each year, amounting to 4.8 million metric tons. Some believe the true figure could be as high as 12.7 million metric tons, which is projected to double by 2025. One metric ton is equivalent to 2,205 pounds. Despite all this, we only manage to recover 5% of the plastics we produce. Conventional plastics don’t biodegrade, so every piece ever made still exists in landfills, oceans, or as litter.

A significant portion of plastic ends up in landfills, but the greater environmental impact comes from plastic pollution that finds its way into our waterways and oceans. Plastic doesn’t break down into simpler compounds, it just photodegrades into smaller pieces called nurdles. Nearly 90% of all trash floating in the ocean is plastic, with an estimated 46,000 large plastic items per square mile. The largest garbage dump in the world is a floating mass known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is roughly twice the size of Texas and located in a high-pressure area between Hawaii and California. This patch is caused by an oceanographic gyre, a system of rotating currents that exist in five locations around the world and trap garbage. Microplastic nurdles, which are often too small to see with the naked eye, make up the majority of these garbage patches and are frequently mistaken for food by marine life, leading to their consumption and eventually, our own.

Plastic pollution is causing devastating effects on marine life. Every year, approximately 100,000 sea creatures die from entanglement in plastic, and many more suffer from ingestion. Many species of seabirds, cetaceans, and all sea turtle species have been found with plastic in or around their bodies. Studies have shown that around two-thirds of fish species have ingested plastic, which releases chemicals that can work their way up the food chain and eventually affect humans. The widespread use of plastics, particularly single-use items, has led to an overwhelming amount of plastic entering our oceans and endangering marine life. In addition, plastic pollution can have far-reaching impacts on the health of people, as toxic chemicals from plastic can leach into the bodies of those who consume contaminated fish. It is crucial that we take action to reduce our plastic consumption and properly dispose of plastic to protect both the environment and our own health.

Only a small portion of plastic is actually recycled, with current recovery rates hovering around 5%. Sorting is a crucial step in the recycling process, but it’s often manual and error-prone, or relies on automated technology that can’t identify all the additives in different types of plastic. As a result, much of the plastic we try to recycle ends up in landfills or the ocean. PETE and HDPE are the most commonly recycled plastics, found in items like soda bottles and milk jugs, but not all #1 and #2 containers are actually recycled. The prevalence of plastic formulations also makes sorting difficult. It’s a complex issue, but the fact remains that plastic waste is a major problem and we need to find more effective solutions to recycle and repurpose it.

Many companies have claimed to offer biodegradable or compostable plastic products as a “green” solution, but it’s not always as simple as it seems. These plastics are supposed to decompose into simpler compounds like carbon dioxide, methane, water, or biomass through microbial assimilation. However, they only decompose properly under certain conditions, like being disposed of in a properly maintained compost heap. Landfills, on the other hand, do not provide enough oxygen for biodegradable plastics to decompose, leading to the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Additionally, some biodegradable and compostable plastics contain cornstarch, vegetable oil, or other compounds that can’t be recycled and can contaminate traditional plastic recycling processes. To ensure proper disposal, it’s important to look for products with the Biodegradable Products Institute logo, which signifies compliance with established standards.

At fitppl, we recognize that plastics have become a necessary, but often harmful, part of our modern society. While they are the cheapest way to produce packaging, we are committed to finding ways to reduce or eliminate our use of plastic altogether. This is why we never use plastic tubs or scoops in our products, and why we use Kraft paper pouches that only have a thin layer of LLDPE (less than 5.6 mil thick). We also actively work to make a positive impact in our communities by hosting cleanups and spreading awareness about the impact of plastic pollution. We believe that by taking small steps towards sustainability, we can make a big difference in protecting the environment.

Each year, humans produce nearly 300 million tons of plastic. The average American alone throws away about 185 pounds of plastic annually. Half of all plastic consumed is single use. That’s enough to circle the earth four times. Researchers estimate that between 15-40% of plastic waste ends up in the oceans each year, amounting to 4.8 million metric tons. Some believe the true figure could be as high as 12.7 million metric tons, which is projected to double by 2025. One metric ton is equivalent to 2,205 pounds. Despite all this, we only manage to recover 5% of the plastics we produce. Conventional plastics don’t biodegrade, so every piece ever made still exists in landfills, oceans, or as litter.

A significant portion of plastic ends up in landfills, but the greater environmental impact comes from plastic pollution that finds its way into our waterways and oceans. Plastic doesn’t break down into simpler compounds, it just photodegrades into smaller pieces called nurdles. Nearly 90% of all trash floating in the ocean is plastic, with an estimated 46,000 large plastic items per square mile. The largest garbage dump in the world is a floating mass known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is roughly twice the size of Texas and located in a high-pressure area between Hawaii and California. This patch is caused by an oceanographic gyre, a system of rotating currents that exist in five locations around the world and trap garbage. Microplastic nurdles, which are often too small to see with the naked eye, make up the majority of these garbage patches and are frequently mistaken for food by marine life, leading to their consumption and eventually, our own.

Plastic pollution is causing devastating effects on marine life. Every year, approximately 100,000 sea creatures die from entanglement in plastic, and many more suffer from ingestion. Many species of seabirds, cetaceans, and all sea turtle species have been found with plastic in or around their bodies. Studies have shown that around two-thirds of fish species have ingested plastic, which releases chemicals that can work their way up the food chain and eventually affect humans. The widespread use of plastics, particularly single-use items, has led to an overwhelming amount of plastic entering our oceans and endangering marine life. In addition, plastic pollution can have far-reaching impacts on the health of people, as toxic chemicals from plastic can leach into the bodies of those who consume contaminated fish. It is crucial that we take action to reduce our plastic consumption and properly dispose of plastic to protect both the environment and our own health.

Only a small portion of plastic is actually recycled, with current recovery rates hovering around 5%. Sorting is a crucial step in the recycling process, but it’s often manual and error-prone, or relies on automated technology that can’t identify all the additives in different types of plastic. As a result, much of the plastic we try to recycle ends up in landfills or the ocean. PETE and HDPE are the most commonly recycled plastics, found in items like soda bottles and milk jugs, but not all #1 and #2 containers are actually recycled. The prevalence of plastic formulations also makes sorting difficult. It’s a complex issue, but the fact remains that plastic waste is a major problem and we need to find more effective solutions to recycle and repurpose it.

Many companies have claimed to offer biodegradable or compostable plastic products as a “green” solution, but it’s not always as simple as it seems. These plastics are supposed to decompose into simpler compounds like carbon dioxide, methane, water, or biomass through microbial assimilation. However, they only decompose properly under certain conditions, like being disposed of in a properly maintained compost heap. Landfills, on the other hand, do not provide enough oxygen for biodegradable plastics to decompose, leading to the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Additionally, some biodegradable and compostable plastics contain cornstarch, vegetable oil, or other compounds that can’t be recycled and can contaminate traditional plastic recycling processes. To ensure proper disposal, it’s important to look for products with the Biodegradable Products Institute logo, which signifies compliance with established standards.

At fitppl, we recognize that plastics have become a necessary, but often harmful, part of our modern society. While they are the cheapest way to produce packaging, we are committed to finding ways to reduce or eliminate our use of plastic altogether. This is why we never use plastic tubs or scoops in our products, and why we use Kraft paper pouches that only have a thin layer of LLDPE (less than 5.6 mil thick). We also actively work to make a positive impact in our communities by hosting cleanups and spreading awareness about the impact of plastic pollution. We believe that by taking small steps towards sustainability, we can make a big difference in protecting the environment.

About The 5 Gyres

Over the past 10 years more plastic was produced than the entire 20th century.

Almost every single piece of plastic ever created still exist.

Over the past 10 years more plastic was produced than the entire 20th century.

Almost every single piece of plastic ever created still exist.

How you can help

Join our efforts

Join our cleanups or take the one piece a day pledge.

Join Our CleanupsOne piece a day

Refuse straws

500 million straws are used per day.

Each person in the US will use approximately 38,000 or more straws between the ages of 5 and 65.

Refuse straws

500 million straws are used per day.

Each person in the US will use approximately 38,000 or more straws between the ages of 5 and 65.

Bring a bag

About 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide.

That's about 1 million bags per minute.

Bring a bag

About 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide.

That's about 1 million bags per minute.

Share

Reduce use of single use plastics. From Styrofoam to disposable cups to plastic-lined paper cups, these beverage holders have a lifespan of about half an hour. Bring a reusable mug when you order coffee. Choose to reuse when it comes to shopping bags and bottled water.

Refuse single-serving packaging, excess packaging, straws and other “disposable” plastics.

Bring a reusable bag when you shop. Shoppers around the world use approximately 500,000,000,000 plastic bags annually. That’s about 1 million single use bags every minute across the globe.

Go digital. Plastic cds, dvds and jewel cases are extremely outdated when you can buy your music and videos online.

Support plastic bag bans, polystyrene foam bans and bottle recycling bills.

Think of innovative ways to re-purpose the plastics that you already have.

Shop local and frequent farmers’ markets for fresh produce and eggs, bakeries for bread and butchers for meats since they often use less packaging to wrap items.

Avoid buying items heavily packaged in plastic. Look for produce and other items that aren’t over-packaged.

Don’t just discard electronics, use sites like eBay or Craigslist to sell used goods made of plastic instead.

Spread the word, a lot of people are just flat-out uninformed about this problem. Talk to your family and friends about why it is important to reduce plastic in our lives and the nasty impacts of plastic pollution.