Ocean conservation with Pro Ocean - collect and recycle ocean plastics
Marine pollution - Poseidon at the limit
Acute plastic pollution in our oceans with devastating effects
- More than one truckload of plastic ends up in the oceans every minute
- The Philippines accounts for the largest amount of oceanplastics in the world each year
- Over 1 million marine animals and birds die annually from ocean plastic
We don't talk about it, we just do it
Long-term success without a rethinking of consumption is as likely as a yeti on the beach. The really best way to protect our oceans? Stop environmentally harmful behavior.
We’ll save the moralizing. Instead, we’d rather do something: collect and recycle ocean plastic – and do it fairly, carefully and in an environmentally friendly way.
Less ocean plastic? Here's how it goes.
1 Euro from you means 1 kg less ocean plastic and…
…enables people to have fair jobs plus health insurance.
…protects marine life such as dolphins, whales and turtles.
…preserves mangroves and fragile marine ecosystems.
…fights the plastic problem where it arises.
…guarantees science-based collection by hand and on the beach.
…offers new opportunities to locals in the Philippines.
For each donation, you will receive a Pro Ocean donation certificate and an official donation receipt, which you can claim as a tax deduction with your tax office.
Our Crew
We are a team of ocean fans (sure, right?), creative minds and makers. A blue ocean without plastic? That’s what we give everything for every day. And for you, so that you have sand instead of plastic between your toes again.
Transparency is important to us!
We are a member of the Transparent Civil Society initiative. If you want to know more insights about our work, just click on the logo on the right and we’ll let our digital pants down.
FAQ - Questions that often flutter into our inbox.
Why do we collect?
Oceanplastics are now found everywhere. It harms the environment and people and animals. That’s why we stand up against ocean plastic with Pro Ocean. If you want more information about ocean plastic, click here.
What do we collect?
We collect everything that does not belong in the environment. Ocean plastic, but also other waste, such as glass or electronic waste.
Why in the Philippines?
A lot of oceanplastics actually enters the sea from the Philippines, and as an archipelago they are particularly affected by it. Please have a look here.
How do we collect?
We collect by hand. This is the only way we can ensure that we do not harm nature more than we help it. Often plastic foils wrap around the mangroves, for example, and can only be removed by hand. This is how laborious but real environmental protection works!
Who collects?
Our team in the Philippines is permanent. It is composed of women and men from the Bais City area and is led by Rose Ann.
What does a collection day look like?
In the morning at 7:30 we start from our base with the small Pro Ocean truck. With it we drive to the beaches and mangrove forests and later transport the garbage back to our base. Sometimes we also need boats to get to particularly remote places. Our team then begins to systematically collect and pre-sort into recyclable waste and those that are not. Often we are on duty at several beaches in one day. In the afternoon we go back to our base. There the collected waste is sorted and stored and all data and pictures of the day are loaded into our database.
What do we pay special attention to?
It is very important to us that we really protect nature. Therefore we collect all waste, not only the big and heavy ones. We also treat nature as gently as possible. That’s why we only use machines for recycling.
What happens to the waste?
The collected waste is sorted and stored at our base. We then regularly recycle recyclable waste, such as PET bottles, together with local partners. Things like glass we collect at our base and then use with partner companies to make road surface, for example. Any waste that cannot be reused is properly disposed of at a state landfill.
How are our employees employed?
All of our team members in the Philippines are permanent employees and have health insurance. This is super important to us and one of the principles of our work. Only with fair jobs can we make a long-term change on the ground.
What else do we do?
Besides collecting and recycling ocean plastic, environmental education is very important to us. That’s why we are involved in educational projects in Germany and the Philippines, creating awareness at an early stage of the interrelationships between ecosystems and the consequences of pollution caused by ocean plastic.