OBP Collection Organization Standard (Ocean Bound Plastic)

What is the OBP Collection Organization Standard?

Developed by the NGO Zero Plastic Oceans (ZPO), the OBP (Ocean Bound Plastic) Certification Program is a global initiative aimed at stopping marine plastic pollution at its source. Approximately 80% of plastic waste in the oceans originates from land. The OBP Collection Organization Standard is a specific module of this program focusing entirely on the "collection" phase. It ensures that plastic waste accumulating in areas without effective waste management infrastructure—specifically within 50 kilometers of shorelines—is collected in an environmentally safe, socially just, and transparent manner before it reaches the ocean.

Key Technical Criteria of the OBP Collection Standard

This standard regulates not only the physical collection of plastics but also the welfare of waste pickers and the strict traceability of the materials. The technical framework can be summarized as follows:

• OBP Scope and Geographical Boundaries:

  • The collected waste must originate from areas at high risk of leaking into the ocean (beaches, riverbanks, or land within 50 km of the coast lacking efficient waste management).

  • The waste must consist of abandoned micro or macro plastics.

• Social Responsibility and Fair Trade:

  • The standard fiercely protects the rights of waste pickers, who often operate in the informal sector.

  • There is zero tolerance for child labor. It is mandatory to provide fair and timely wages, adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and safe, hygienic working conditions for the collectors.

• Environmental Impact Management:

  • Plastic collection activities must not harm the local ecosystem, wildlife, or flora/fauna. The collection process must be executed with strict regard for ecological balance.

• Traceability and Chain of Custody:

  • The volumes of collected OBP, along with exact collection locations and dates, must be meticulously recorded.

  • The collected plastics must be verifiably transferred (invoiced and tracked) to OBP-certified recycling facilities. This strict tracking prevents conventional plastics from being falsely claimed as OBP (greenwashing).

Who this standard is for

The OBP Collection Organization Standard is for organisations that collect ocean-bound plastic (plastic at risk of reaching the sea) at source. It is not a recycling-plant certificate, not a brand-content claim, and not a plastic-neutrality (NEU) service.

What is certified

• Collection in defined OBP geographic zones before plastic reaches the ocean
• Documentation of origin, weight, and polymer type of collected lots
• Worker and site controls required by the collection module
• Transfer of collected OBP to a certified recycling organisation with documents

What this standard does not cover

• Turning flakes or pellets into recycled resin (Recycling Organization standard)
• Putting OBP content in a consumer product (Brand or Producer/User standards)
• Paying for collection to offset a footprint (NEU standard)

Questions buyers and operators usually ask

Is beach litter the same as ocean-bound plastic under OBP?

OBP uses a defined distance-to-coast / pathway definition. Not all “ocean plastic” marketing photos qualify. Collection maps and zone evidence matter more than a shoreline photoshoot.

Can a brand print an OBP logo based only on our collection certificate?

No. The brand needs the Brand (or Producer/User) standard and a chain from certified collection through recycling. Collection alone is the first link.

Do we need Social+ as well?

Social+ is a component standard. It is not automatic. If a buyer specifies Social+, it must be in scope separately.

Can mixed municipal waste from inland cities be counted?

Only if it meets the OBP origin definition and can be documented as such. Generic city waste without zone evidence is a typical rejection.

What to have ready before the audit

• Maps of collection zones against the OBP geographic definition
• Weighing and lot records per polymer / source
• Contracts with collectors and the receiving recycler
• Health and safety records for collection work
• Delivery notes that will feed the recycler’s incoming OBP

Frequent findings

• Claiming ocean-bound status for inland waste without zone proof
• Brand hangtags issued from a collection certificate only
• Weight tickets that do not match deliveries to the recycler
• Mixing conventional plastic into OBP lots at the collection yard