Ocean plastic debris to be recycled by Adidas into sports products
German sportswear company Adidas has partnered with initiative Parley for the Oceans to recycle ocean plastic waste into its products from 2016. A partnership programme will focus on areas such as “research and innovation” and Adidas said it will also phase out the use of plastics bags at is 2,900 stores. Plastic waste in oceans is a big environmental problem. Estimates suggest eight million tonnes a year end up in the planet’s seas. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), over 250 marine species worldwide are affected by entanglement in, or ingestion of marine debris. Adidas’ announcement was made alongside the release of its annual sustainability report. In 2014 the company introduced its first ‘green’ retail concept at its HomeCourt store in Nuremberg, Germany, including LED lighting and energy saving features. Frank Henke, group VP for global social and environmental affairs, Adidas, said: “The partnership with Parley for the Oceans has already led us to reassess some of our business practices. Stopping the use of plastic bags in our stores is a primary example of this and the right thing to do.” The move falls in line with clothing and sports manufacturers coming under scrutiny to improve the environmental impact of their manufacturing sites. Last year Dutch retailer G-Star Raw worked with Parley to launch a denim line made out of plastic waste. ### Read more Waste management key to cleaning up oceans