SOUTHPORT, CONN. — In April, Earth Animal announced it is now certified Plastic Neutral by partnering with rePurpose Global to fund the recovery of as much plastic waste as it produces from the environment. Earth Animal’s certification is part of its plastic waste initiative, which also includes a transition to recyclable packaging by 2025.

Earth Animal’s sustainability efforts will aid in the removal of 165,000 lbs of plastic waste from landfills and oceans, according to the company. Through rePurpose Global, Earth Animal is also supporting waste management projects, which collect hard-to-recycle waste and processes such materials that would otherwise fail to be reclaimed from the environment.

“Environmental protection is at the core of Earth Animal,” said Aditya Siroya, co-founder and chief impact officer of rePurpose Global. “It’s so refreshing to see them push the boundaries on tackling the plastic waste problem. Forward-thinking brands like Earth Animal are the need of the hour. We hope this pioneering move pushes more brands to take responsibility for their own plastic waste.”

According to Earth Animal, the pet industry produces 3 million lbs of plastic waste annually. The company is committed to reducing this statistic and addressing the global plastic waste epidemic by committing to several sustainable actions.

“We have seen the devastating amount of waste generated every day by our industry, so to us, the urgency of this crisis was impossible to ignore, and we decided to step up,” said Stewart Shanley, chief executive officer of Earth Animal. “Our planet needs us, and Earth Animal is taking strong strides to do our part. Our partnership with rePurpose Global is a cornerstone of our commitment to mitigating our use of plastics.”

Besides its certification and partnership with rePurpose Global, Earth Animal joined the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and is a founding donor of the Pet Sustainability Coalition’s Plastic Pledge. The company also plans to add recycling information from How2Recycle on all new pet food packaging by 2023.

“For our company, the clue is in our name,” said Bob and Susan Goldstein, co-founders of Earth Animal. “We are called Earth Animal for a reason, and as such we want to play our part in improving the wellness and longevity of not only Earth’s animals, but also the planet that sustains them. Our rePurpose Global partnership shows our commitment to reducing our plastic footprint while supporting marginalized communities around the world, a truly impactful collaboration.”

Read more about sustainability in the pet food and treat industry.