This week our Maria Westerbos and Jeroen Dagevos travelled to London to join the Future of Fabrics Expo to talk about the need for plastic free fashion and the harmful effects of plastic microfibers that our clothes produce on our health.
Want to read more about how clothes make us sick? Download the report here: https://bit.ly/3JwOB7R
Giftenaftrek afschaffen? Slecht idee!
Het nieuwe kabinet komt nu al met een voorstel waar wij niet blij van worden.
Het wil namelijk de mogelijkheden voor miljoenen Nederlanders om royaal te kunnen schenken aan doelen en instellingen beperken, door de giftenaftrek voor de belasting af te schaffen.
Dit zal er voor zorgen dat goede doelen - zoals Plastic Soup Foundation - en andere organisaties, tientallen miljoenen aan giften zullen missen. Daarmee vallen er grote gaten in de samenleving, want deze doelen en NGOs bouwen door eerdere afschaffingen van vele subsidies bijna volledig op deze giften.
Wij sluiten ons daarom aan bij de velen die zich al hebben ingeschreven voor de petitie om de Giftenaftrek te redden. Doe jij ook mee? Onderteken de petitie hier: https://lnkd.in/e3WP6D2T
The Dutch government proposed a National Circular Norm: from 2027 onwards plastic producers have to include a minimum percentage of recycled- or bioplastics in their products. Of course, we as PSF, have some notes on this proposal.
First of all, recycling will not solve our problems, we have to drastically reduce the plastic production, especially of single use plastics. The Circular Norm will not cap plastic production, will in fact encourage it, and so, will have a negative effect on climate change.
Second, the goal of the Circular Norm is to burn less plastic, with which we agree wholeheartedly. Only we don’t think that recycling some plastic, while producing more of it will in fact not lead to less plastic waste and the burning of it. To us, this just seems like temporarily postponing it.
Third of all, recycling is not the problem, plastic is. Due to the added 16.000 different chemicals in plastics, recycling it is a nightmare. A true circular cycle is if the plastic was used again to make a product of similar quality, not to come up with creative ways to get rid of it, like to use it as filling in construction or make park benches out of it. This will just burden future generations with our plastic problem. Especially, since these plastic materials will create micro- and nanoplastics that affect the environment and human health.
Fourth, the Circular Norm needs to tighten some of its plans, because as it is now it is easy to commit fraud and allowing greenwashing. Trade in Recycled Plastic is hard to track and thus susceptible to fraud and whitewashing of money. It is know that Plastic Waste has been illegally dumped in other countries, which don’t have the necessary facilities to deal with this plastic waste either. Dutch plastic waste have been found on dumpsites in Turkey and Indonesia. The current Circular Norm also makes greenwashing possible as it sets conditions for how much recycled plastic companies must buy/use, but it does not say that each individual plastic product produce needs to include this recycled plastic. It is hard to explain to consumers that the product they are buying is not made with recycled plastic, yet is allowed to be marketed as circular.
In conclusion, we think the Netherlands is far behind in the development of alternative systems and materials, especially in the field of reducing plastic consumer waste and the development of materials that are a 100% biodegradable. The National Circulair Norm, as proposed does nothing to bridge this gap or to promote serious innovation. If we keep doing what we have been doing for decennia, i.e.: making conventional plastics out of bioplastics, it will do nothing to solve our plastic problem. In fact, these plastics are even harder to recycle and in order to meet the Zero Wast goals we have to replace the production of single use plastic completely with alternative systems and materials.
Wil je meer impact maken? Kom werken voor Plastic Soup Foundation als Financieel Medewerker!
Door de pensionering van ons huidige teamlid zijn we per 1 september op zoek naar iemand die voor 24 per week bij ons de financiën op orde houdt. In de day-to-day business ben jij degene die zorgt dat alle financiële werkzaamheden tot in de puntjes geregeld zijn: je beheert de debiteuren en crediteuren, verwerkt de bankmutaties, houdt de afschrijvingen bij, draagt de btw af, verzorgt de maandelijkse salarismutaties en afdrachten, je zet de betalingen klaar en maakt donatie-overzichten.
Klinkt dat als een goede volgende stap? Bekijk de volledige vacature hier: https://bit.ly/4cbeoi1
We horen graag van je!
#WerkenvooreenNGO#PlasticSoupFoundation#Vacature#VacatureFinancieelMedewerken#KomBijOnsWerken#NGOBaan
🌐 Globally connected by the ocean 🌐
The oceans connect us all. On UN World Oceans Day, we remind ourselves of the importance of protecting these magnificent ecosystems. We celebrate the beautiful and essential oceans that our planet is blessed with.
While we enjoy their beauty, we must also acknowledge that they need our help. Every year, millions of kilos enter the oceans. Threatening our nature and our health. This must stop! Join us in closing the plastic tap. Together, we can make a difference!
https://bit.ly/4b1ioRk#WorldOceansDay#PlasticFreeOceans#microplastic#plastic#plasticpollution#ocean
The sad news reached us this week that Professor Dick Vethaak has passed away. Dick was convinced there was plastic in our blood long before it was technically measurable. In 2022, he was proven right. The news created a shock wave and calls for action. We thank Dick for his enormous commitment, cooperation and dedication to stopping plastic pollution worldwide. With him, we lose a great human being. We will continue to work to make Dick's dream a reality, a world free of plastic pollution.
Last month Plastic Soup Foundation travelled to Ottawa for the fourth edition of the UN’s Global Plastic Treaty. The experience was twofold.
On the one hand, what became clear in Ottawa was that a lot has changed in a year. The effects of plastic on human health were not yet an agenda item in Paris last year, but now it was talk of the town. Our side event with Prof. Dr. Kenner focused entirely on the health effects of plastic on humans. The room was packed and it made a deep impression.
On the other hand, we also witnessed the fierce lobbying of what we call ‘the low-ambition coalition’, i.e. the oil-producing countries who do not want to agree on a reduction.
Curious to learn what happened? Read our article here: https://bit.ly/3X6E5vh#INC4#GlobalPlasticTreaty#CloseThePlasticTap#PlasticSoupFoundation#FigthPlasticPollution#PlasticHealthRisks
