Manila – The Dutch Postcode Lottery has awarded a grant of €500,000 to #breakfreefromplastic (BFFP) in support of a project to accelerate the change towards a future free from plastic pollution.
The grant, which was made possible through the sponsorship of Greenpeace Netherlands, is expected to boost #breakfreefromplastic’s capacity to coordinate and support globally impactful campaigns and initiatives including the annual global Brand Audits, the Zero Waste Academy, and the work of BFFP’s Youth Ambassadors. The grant will also help increase the movement’s operational efficiency, and amplify its impact to expose the drivers of plastic pollution globally while mainstreaming solutions and strengthening the movement.
“Our movement welcomes this generous donation from the Dutch Postcode Lottery that was made possible by its participants. It will give our work a significant boost, especially at this crucial time when the world needs to redouble its efforts to address the twin emergencies of climate change and plastic pollution,” said Von Hernandez, BFFP Global Coordinator.
Plastic pollution is inherently linked to the key challenges undermining our planet and its people. Climate change is expected to worsen through continuing plastic production and pollution, given that 99% of plastics produced today are derived from fossil fuels. Plastics also intrude on human rights through each step of the plastics lifecycle - extraction (oil and gas), production (of plastic pellets and plastic products), trade and plastic use, waste/disposal, and marine pollution. Vulnerable populations - primarily in the global south - bear a disproportionate burden of the impacts of plastic pollution, as evidenced by the continuing cases of plastic waste dumping by industrialized countries on poorer countries, often in the guise of recycling. Plastics also present profound impacts on human health, given the widespread and almost unregulated use of persistent and toxic chemicals in plastics production and use, with associated pollution impacts on air, water, and land.
BFFP works to create systemic change to break this cycle of pollution, and promote solutions, applying pressure on corporations and governments to abandon polluting practices and adopt progressive policies to eliminate single-use and throw away plastic. More specifically, BFFP challenges responsible parties and stakeholders to focus on reduction strategies, including product redesign and alternative delivery systems (e.g., reuse and refill models).
The Dutch Postcode Lottery has been raising funds since 1989 to support organizations and charities working towards a greener and fairer world. It provides grants and core support to organizations worldwide working in the areas of poverty alleviation, human rights, nature conservation, the environment as well as social cohesion in the Netherlands. The donations are made possible through the contributions of more than 3 million participants of the Dutch Postcode Lottery. Since 1989, the lottery has donated more than 7.1 billion euros to hundreds of charities and social initiatives worldwide.
