Mattel Makes Barbies From Ocean-Bound Plastic
Barbie may have been around for more than 60 years, but she's still finding new ways to impress us. Mattel — the company that makes Barbie — is releasing a new collection of Barbie products that are made from recycled "ocean-bound plastic".
The new "Barbie Loves The Ocean" collection is made from 90% recycled plastic. The plastic that's used in the collection is known as "ocean-bound plastic". This means that it is waste plastic that was found in areas that are less than 50 kilometers from the sea, or in a river that connects to the sea.
The plastic can only be called "ocean-bound" if those areas do not have a good system for collecting and disposing of their plastic waste, like a recycling service. That's because without such a system there's a good chance the plastic could end up in the ocean.
Mattel's new collection includes three dolls and three playsets, all of which are based on having fun at the beach. The dolls and two of the playsets each cost $9.99, with the third costing $19.99.
Mattel has said that they want all of their plastic products and packaging to be 100% recycled, recyclable, or bio-based by 2030.
Over 270 million metric tons of plastic are produced each year, and around 7 million metric tons end up in the ocean. Plastic waste can be dangerous for animals, who will sometimes eat it or get trapped in it, which can kill them.
