Attention all swimmers, swimming pool owners, equipment retailers, wholesalers, pool builders and swimming pool maintenance companies in Australia.

We are drowning in plastic and “need to start a conversation” about how to capture all this single-use plastic, prevent it from ending up in landfill and recycle it into valuable products! We cannot abrogate our responsibilities any longer!

Australia’s love affair with the swimming pool has grown in recent years, with 2.7 million Australians or 13% of the population living in a house with a swimming pool in 2018, up from 12% of the population in 2015 (Roy Morgan Research). With an industry revenue of $1billion (IBISWorld) and increasing pool ownership; the pressure is only rising, to control the associated plastic waste.

Other industries have already taken the lead on the issue of plastic waste and proven that decisive action can make a difference:

Sustainable Salons, Tip Top bread and Australian Native Landscapes, among others send their plastic waste to a recycling company, Plastic Forests, where it is transformed into valuable products such as garden edging, fencing, underground cable cover and much more! (*Further Information)

So I call on the Board of the Swimming Pool and Spa Assoc to treat the issue of plastic waste as a matter of vital importance, to show leadership in resource recovery initiatives and to raise awareness of this issue amongst the broader membership of retailers, wholesalers, pool builders and swimming pool maintenance companies.
 
I also call on the major retailers Clarke Rubber, Pool Worx, Swim Mart and many others within the pool industry to join the discussion and work-towards-a-solution. It’s imperative they act now; with 85% of consumers expecting companies to “care for the environment” and 73% extremely concerned about “waste and packaging” (Neilson); there’s also clear evidence that brands or products that take these concerns seriously experience strong customer loyalty and higher sales growth (Unilever).

Finally, I call on all swimming pool owners & customers (2.7 million plus) to make their voice heard and express their concern (and need) for a cleaner and more environmentally sustainable pool industry.

Yes it can be done! Please sign and share the petition below to support this crucial initiative.

 

*Further Information:

• Plastic Forests - 60 Minutes

 The solution to Australia’s recycling crisis

• Plastic Forests - Landline 

Farm Waste Recovery | Holbrook Landcare | Drum Muster | Weston Fence 

Farm Waste Recovery 3,349,970kg plastic recycled
Holbrook Landcare 80,000kg plastic recycled
Drum Muster 36,000,000 drums recycled
Weston Fence 20,000 km of recycled fencing

• Sustainable Salons

Salon Recycling - Plastic | Chemicals | Aluminium | Tools | Hair

Sustainable Salons - Environmental and Social Impact

95% of Salon waste diverted from landfill:
143,200 kg plastic recycled
29,600 litres chemicals recycled back into water
188,600 kg Aluminium diverted (and all proceeds from its scrap value donated to provide 118,000 meals)
2,250 kg E-waste repurposed
28,700 kg hair collected (providing 90,000 pony tails and hair booms for oil spills)

 

*References

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7811-australian-swimming-pool-ownership-september-2018-201811230555

https://www.ibisworld.com/au/industry/swimming-pool-spa-equipment-stores/4034/

https://www.nielsen.com/eu/en/insights/article/2018/global-consumers-seek-companies-that-care-about-environmental-issues/