Who are the collection community members?
An individual who is over 18 years of age, registered through the PlasticBank® app, and gathers discarded plastic from the environment is a collection community member. Some are full-time members who have worked in informal waste collection for many years, while others work with us on a part-time basis to supplement other sources of income. Regardless of how much or how often our collection community members collect plastic, age-verified collection members can exchange plastic for additional income and social benefits at their local collection branch.
How does Plastic Bank find its collection community members?
Plastic Bank begins working in new territories with existing informal recycling communities wherever possible. We train and certify local collection communities (collection community members and collection branches alike) for compliance with our code of conduct and acquaint them with the PlasticBank® app usage requirements to enable traceability. We incentivize collection benefits for existing members and attract new participants.
We also establish Community Partnerships with local schools, places of worship, establishments, and institutions to set up accessible collection branches. We raise recycling awareness and encourage proper household waste segregation to reduce plastic pollution.
How can a person become a collection community member?
Collection community members must be 18+ years of age and registered in the PlasticBank® app. Any registered individual can sign into the PlasticBank® App to find the nearest local collection branch for exchanging discarded plastic.
What are collection bonuses and benefits?
Registered 18+ age-verified collection members and certified collection branches that participate in bonus programs receive a digital bonus payment on top of the cash market rate for bonus-eligible plastic. These bonuses provide increased incomes, digital savings, and benefits with traceability for our supply chain compliance requirements. The bonuses are paid in digital tokens and funded by partner orders through the PlasticBank® app’s bonus payment and order management system.
In addition to financial incentives, collection communities can also be eligible to receive additional benefits including training, access to mentorship for leadership development, subsidized education supplies and necessities, fintech services, insurance programs and other social benefits, based on tiered collection goals.
Does Plastic Bank pay a salary to its collection community members?
Plastic Bank does not pay a salary to its members. They receive the local market rate for plastic by material type in cash from the buyer of the materials (collection branches). In addition to the standard market rate payment system, Plastic Bank uses a digital payment system to provide bonuses on eligible material collections above their market rate. The bonuses are paid directly to the members’ wallets in the PlasticBank® app through Plastic Bank tokens.
How do you ensure that you are not employing child labour?
Plastic Bank membership is open to any 18+ age-verified individual who wants to collect and exchange discarded plastic in its areas of operation. Approval of member registrations is subject to verification.
Labour Practices
Collection branches and processing partners must;
complete Plastic Bank’s standard training program (code of conduct, health & safety and collections standard, traceability and the PlasticBank® app usage),
have a signed code of conduct agreement uploaded into the PlasticBank® app,
pass routine compliance audits by Plastic Bank.
18+ Age verification
Age is verified to be 18+ upon registration by certified Plastic Bank collection branches,
Age is re-verified to be 18+ by Plastic Bank upon redeeming rewards and benefits,
Profile photo verification audits are conducted annually,
Site visits are performed to ensure compliance with our code of conduct,
The PlasticBank® app automatically prevents paid exchanges from users under 18 years of age,
Branches are removed if they fail our code of conduct requirements.
Plastic Bank Staff Auditing Responsibilities
Data managers are staffed regionally,
Plastic Bank Data Managers conduct periodic audits according to our traceability standards, with routines varying from daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly to annual audits using the PlasticBank® app,
Each branch has an assigned account manager (Area Coordinator),
A cross-functional global task force coordinates annual onsite partner audits,
The PlasticBank® app continues to evolve and automate our auditing and compliance process.
Please find answers about our Child Labour Policy here.
