ROCKLIN, CALIF. — On June 16, Campfire Treats announced it has partnered with rePurpose Global to achieve plastic neutral certification. The all-natural, single-ingredient dog treat company will fund the removal of as much plastic from the environment as it produces.

“We are poisoning our planet, food chains and ultimately ourselves with toxic plastic waste,” said Marko Wittich, president and co-founder of Campfire Treats. “We must act now. We are therefore excited that the partnership with rePurpose Global allows us to offset the single-use plastic we can’t yet replace with environmentally friendly alternatives.”

Campfire Treats transitioned to more sustainable shipping materials in 2021, now using plastic-free, 100% biodegradable and fully recyclable materials for transportation. Its partnership with rePurpose Global marks the next step toward the company’s goal of reducing the environmental impact of — and eventually phasing out — single-use plastics in its portfolio.

“We’re thrilled to see Campfire Treats rally around sustainable action and take the admirable step to implement some necessary changes to their operations,” said Svanika Balasubramanian, chief executive officer at rePurpose Global. “Their pledge to sustainability, starting with Plastic Neutrality, is one we’re sure will inspire other businesses as well.” 

According to the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC), the pet food industry produces a projected 300 million lbs of multi-laminate plastic packaging per year, of which less than 10% ends up in the recycling stream. Global plastic production has hit 400 million tons, according to Campfire Treats and rePurpose Global, and that number is expected to double by 2040. 

To mitigate this growing environmental issue, several pet industry companies have partnered with rePurpose Global to offset their plastic footprints by removing plastic waste from the environment. So far this year, Raised Right, Earth Animal and V-Dog have achieved plastic neutral certification through rePurpose Global.

According rePurpose Global, its overall plastic neutrality efforts, which have been supported by roughly 20 pet food brands, have removed 2,000 tons of plastic waste from the environment as of March 15, which is equivalent to about 111 million plastic bottles or 1 billion plastic bags.

“My hope is that more and more consumers will demand plastic neutral certified products, effectively forcing manufacturers who have not yet made sustainability a priority to increase their efforts,” Wittich said. “We can only turn the tide in the battle against plastic pollution if we all join forces.”

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