Kamilo is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), which is a corporation created to generate social and public good while operating in a responsible and sustainable manner. Kamilo’s purpose as a PBC is to promote sustainable, healthy communities and protect the environment through creative solutions to solid waste. Unlike a non-profit, Kamilo is a for-profit enterprise, which we believe will provide the resources needed to focus our priorities on people and the planet, not fundraising.

Additionally, Kamilo has earned Certified B Corporation (B Corp) status, a rigorous designation that recognizes businesses meeting high levels of standards in ethical and sustainable practices. Learn more here.

The connection between taking action on climate change and recycling is significant. Nearly half of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from extracting and processing raw materials. This makes it crucial to focus on recovering and recycling materials, as it can help slow down climate change and promote a circular economy.

To make this transition successful, we need a way to measure and account for how effectively we recycle materials like plastics into new products. This helps us track progress, understand the positive impacts of recycling, and identify areas in the waste supply chain where we can innovate further.

Kamilo's technology plays a key role in this process. It tracks the journey of plastic waste and other waste material from collection and recovery to its transformation into new products. It also calculates, in real-time, the environmental benefits of using recycled materials instead of new virgin materials, such as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the space saved in landfills. In this way, recycling benefits the environment and also contributes to our efforts to combat climate change.

Achieving a completely plastic-free lifestyle is challenging due to the extensive use of plastics in essential areas such as transportation, technology, and healthcare. Plastics are integral in ensuring food safety, reducing waste, and providing daily convenience.

However, significantly reducing plastic usage and enhancing recycling efforts are attainable goals. By navigating away from misleading greenwashing and focusing on effective, responsible recycling practices, we can make strides toward a more sustainable future. Although we may not be able to live entirely without plastic right now, every effort made in improving recycling systems and supporting plastic management innovations is a step in the right direction.

Addressing this issue requires a collective effort to bolster recycling infrastructure, make recycling more accessible, and advance technologies for handling a variety of different plastics. Recognizing our current recycling challenges and viewing waste as a valued resource can drive change. Through committed action and investment in circular economy principles, we can gradually reduce our reliance on plastics and contribute to environmental preservation.

The path toward reusable packaging is fraught with challenges, notably the novelty of reusable technologies and the accessibility issues that hinder widespread adoption. Many areas still lack the essential infrastructure and resources to support a shift from single-use plastics to reusables, such as comprehensive distribution networks and effective cleaning facilities. Consequently, despite the environmental benefits, the convenience and low initial cost of disposable plastics continue to dominate consumer and business preferences.

Amid these challenges, enhancing the recyclability of existing plastics through third-party tracking and verification emerges as a critical intermediary step. This approach could significantly improve the effectiveness of our recycling systems. By ensuring that plastics are recycled properly and transparently, we can build a more trustworthy and efficient recycling ecosystem. Such measures not only bridge the gap toward broader adoption of reusables but also address immediate environmental concerns. Embracing this strategy, alongside advancing reusable options and acknowledging the current role of single-use plastics, can foster a more sustainable and inclusive approach to managing plastic waste.

Skepticism towards environmental credits is valid, stemming from challenges with carbon credits. However, plastic credits are distinct due to the tangible nature of plastic waste, which can be physically collected and measured, ensuring more reliable verification. Unlike the abstract nature of carbon, plastic’s visibility allows for clearer accountability. Additionally, plastic credits offer dual benefits: they address plastic pollution and contribute to carbon reduction by promoting recycling and reducing the need for virgin plastic. This dual impact provides a clear, measurable path towards sustainability, enhancing the integrity and effectiveness of plastic credits as a tool for environmental improvement.

The concern that plastic credits, used to offset plastic use, might serve as a 'free pass' for companies to maintain harmful environmental practices is valid. However, the dynamics are complex. Companies may opt to invest in plastic offsets not just as a way to mitigate public criticism, but also for reasons such as enhancing their brand image, aligning with consumer values, or preparing for future regulations. While immediate, substantial reductions in plastic usage are challenging, offsets offer a way to contribute positively by funding essential environmental projects and improving recycling infrastructure.

It's crucial to see plastic credits not as the sole solution but as part of a broader environmental strategy. They should complement other efforts like reducing plastic use, advancing sustainable technologies, and advocating for stronger environmental policies. In the interim, they act as a bridge, supporting environmental initiatives while more comprehensive strategies are developed and implemented.

Kamilo’s unique plastic credit model offers a direct route to environmental action. Each credit is a testament to real, verified recycling, turning waste plastic into new products and diverting it from landfills and pollution. For brands, this means enhancing your green credentials with authentic, measurable actions that resonate with eco-conscious consumers.

What sets us apart is how we utilize the proceeds: sales from our plastic credits directly support the waste supply chain participants and the communities they serve, reinforcing the circular economy and fostering sustainable development. Investing in Kamilo’s credits allows individuals and businesses alike to contribute to a tangible solution, ensuring a positive impact on both the environment and society.

Plastics made from renewable resources like cornstarch and polylactic acid or PLA are often labeled biodegradable or compostable. They are a different chemical composition from conventional petroleum-based plastics (such as PET or HDPE). They do not melt or process the same way conventional plastics do, and the different melt temperatures can cause machinery such as extruders to clog potentially harming equipment and causing significant operational down-time. Biodegradable and compostable plastics are therefore considered contaminants in the recycling stream, capable of ruining the quality of an entire batch of recycled material and making it unusable for new products.

Additionally, it is important to note that although they are labeled as biodegradable or compostable, these types of plastics require specific industrial composting conditions to break down properly — conditions that are generally not present in standard composting facilities. These types of plastic should, as a rule of thumb, be placed in the garbage bin.

Even if they're marked 'compostable,' plastic poop bags belong in the trash, not the compost bin. In the US, most composting facilities will not accept pet waste at all due to health and safety regulations. Additionally, these facilities typically prohibit any form of waste enclosed in plastic bags, even if they are marked compostable. This is because only pure organic material is suitable for their composting processes. However, it's worth noting that regulations can vary, as some areas in the EU may allow the disposal of compostable bags in compost bins.