An official submission accuses companies of falsely claiming their plastics are ocean friendly. 

Environmental groups have filed a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) over claims of greenwashing by manufacturers and retailers using the terms “ocean plastics” and “ocean-bound plastics”. 

The groups argue that such labels are misleading, as there is no way to verify that the materials are recovered from the sea, and that most recycled plastics are sourced from overseas, including Southeast Asia. 

They believe that the supply chain for products labelled “ocean plastics” is impossible to verify, and the term may mislead consumers. 

The complaint alleges that such terms are being used to greenwash products, and that claims about “ocean plastics” are often accompanied by imagery of marine debris and wildlife, even though there is no evidence that buying products made from “ocean plastics” removes debris from the ocean or benefits wildlife. 

The ACCC has designated unsubstantiated environmental and sustainability claims as a priority for 2023.

More details are accessible here.