World Environment Day 5 June 2025 #BeatPlasticPollution
Innovation and Collaboration: the key to ending Plastic Pollution
World Environment Day 5 June 2025
rThis year World Environment Day has a specific focus - to beat plastic pollution.
The UN's press release setting out this goal highlights that an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into lakes, rivers and seas every year, and that each individual person now consumes more than 50,000 microplastic particles each year.
The call from the UN for countries and companies to "scale up" to rapidly address this problem is critical - plastic waste harms both human health and the entire ecosystem.
But, this problem is solvable.
Plastics Supply Chain
When we wrote about plastic pellets as an environmental hazard in 2022 we noted that studies estimated 53 billion plastic pellets are lost in the UK environment every year.
In April 2025, the EU reached a provisional agreement to implement the regulation and prevention of microplastic pollution from plastic pellets.
The goal is to minimise pellet losses through the whole plastics supply chain, and was followed in May 2025 by the British Plastic Federation announcing an update from HMRC about the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), with an aim of reducing exports of plastic waste.
Plastic Pellet Loss and Maritime Transport
A key focus of both the new EU regulations and the UK government initiatives is an increased focus on loss of plastics resulting from shipping goods.
Recoup estimate that plastic pellets represent the third largest source of unintentional microplastic pollution in Europe, and raise that these new supplier chain obligations will need industry compliance in order to be effective.
Solutions that are highly effective with zero disruption - like SolvAir's TBOS - are essential for businesses to meet these new requirements.
TBOS - Beating Plastic Pollution since 2020
Since its launch in 2020, SolvAir's Transport Blow Off System (TBOS) has been installed in 40 locations in the UK and Europe.
TBOS is a practical and powerful tool designed to prevent plastic pollution at one of its most overlooked sources: the exterior surfaces of trucks and tankers transporting plastic pellets.
These pellets are easily dislodged during loading or transit. Once they escape into the environment, they become nearly impossible to recover and can do lasting damage to ecosystems.
Truck & Logistics Plastic Pellet Loss Solution
TBOS therefore tackles the problem of plastic pellet wastage head on for companies in a way that requires no water, no manual operation, can run continuously and can be installed onto any site.
Using a high-speed air system that produces a targeted airstream of over 700 kilometres per hour, it blows pellets and debris off vehicles as they leave a site. The system is fully automated, meaning vehicles are cleaned thoroughly as they pass through.
Effectively removing more than 98% of loose pellets, TBOS helps companies comply with Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS), the industry initiative to achieve zero pellet loss.
TBOS is a simple but powerful way to cut plastic pollution at source. All our Air Solutions are designed with good environmental outcomes in mind, reducing energy usage for businesses in the process.
For companies serious about environmental responsibility, they are not just a good idea, they are practical, legislation-compliant, cost saving and measurable step forward.
If you would like to discuss TBOS (Truck Blow Off System), or any of our other Air Solution services, please contact Jamie Garwood on +44 (0)1473 320 307.
