This privacy policy sets out how we uses and protects any information that you give us when you use this website.
We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.
What we collect
We may collect the following information:
- name and job title
- contact information including email address
- demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
- other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers
What we do with the information we gather
We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:
- Internal record keeping.
- We may use the information to improve our products and services.
- We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided.
- From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.
Security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
How we use cookies
A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.
We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about webpage traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.
Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.
Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.
Controlling your personal information
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:
- whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes
- if you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us.
We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.
If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.
Every year, thousands of volunteers head to the beaches to help stem the tide of plastic. In 2019, we are more aware of ocean pollution than ever before. Whether it’s in the news, on our social media feeds, or on the sides of buses, we can’t escape the fact that our oceans are in trouble from a newly acknowledged threat: an estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the oceans each year, as well as the 150 million tonnes which already saturate them. Beach clean-ups, community events usually organised by environmental charities, are one way to reduce plastic pollution on our coastlines. But how much of an effect are they really having? 
There is no statistic for the amount of plastic collected from beaches around the world each year. Every year, thousands of volunteers head to the beach, determined to do their bit to stem the tide of plastic pollution. There is no statistic for the amount of waste collected from beach cleans around the world each year. But do the maths: if two of the largest beach cleans in the world (the Big Spring Beach Clean, run by Surfers Against Sewerage, and the Great British Beach Clean, run by the Marine Conservation Society) together removed about 80 tonnes of plastic in 2018, even taking into consideration that other countries also enjoy beach cleans, how big a dent is that going to have on the 8 million tonnes mentioned above? The answer: probably not very much. And then there is the problem of what happens to all the rubbish that is collected. Plastic is still plastic, whether it is under the ocean or in a Surfers Against Sewerage collection bag. Charities attempt to recycle what they pick up, but that doesn’t always happen. After a Coke bottle is filled with sand and salt, even the most industrious recycling workers may shake their head. That leaves only a few options (read: landfill). That's not to say beach cleans have no purpose, however. Before you close your computer thinking that everything you’ve been told is a lie, read on to find out why beach cleans might be worth the effort. 
Beach cleans can be an effective way to raise awareness about the plastic issue. Imagine you’ve been asked along to this community event, having never thought too much about the plastic crisis before. You turn up at the beach with your wellies and your gloves, ready for whatever spiky or slimy items you might encounter, and are confronted with a sheen of plastic over the white sand, spreading as far as the eye can see. And suddenly you realise this isn’t like those irritating litter hunts you were sent on at school. This is serious. And half an hour is not going to see that beach sparkly clean. Beach cleans can be vital for opening our eyes to what ends up in the sea. Everyday items that people might have used only that morning at the coffee shop – like straws, cigarette butts, and takeaway containers – are among the top 10 most common items picked up on the beach. Volunteers often leave with a sense of renewed vigour, committed to spreading the word about changing our use of plastic. 
Conversations can be inspiring and encouraging for people feeling overwhelmed about the plastic crisis. Sometimes the plastic crisis can seem overwhelming, and participating in a beach clean can be a fun way to meet others who are aware of the issue and actively working to solve it. They might also have tips, if you are struggling to reduce your plastic consumption. Building communities are the best way to feel you are part of something. 
Beach cleans are great, but they do not excuse you from reducing your plastic consumption. Beach cleans are fun, rewarding, and eye-opening. So by all means, get along and help out next time your local charity organises one, or better yet, pick up any litter you see whenever you head to the beach for a weekend. But don’t think doing so assuages any real obligation to cut down on plastic use. We are not going to recycle our way out of the plastic crisis, and neither will we beach clean our way out. Put pressure on the producers to take responsibility for their packaging, and opt for more sustainable alternatives to plastic (like BioPak products). And spread the word. Our oceans are suffocating, and beaches are just the convenient tip of the iceberg. For more information on how to reduce your waste, see this article on our blog. Planet Friendly Packaging wishes you a merry Christmas and happy New Year. Post by Tallis Baker. Planet Friendly Packaging acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work.
