Kia Ireland has announced what it calls a 'sustainability partnership' with Clean Coasts. Clean Coasts, an initiative led by An Taisce, is a network of volunteers committed to the protection of Ireland's beaches, seas and marine life. Through volunteer-led initiatives and educational campaigns, Clean Coasts aims to inspire positive change in coastal and marine environments. The announcement comes during Circular Week, an international series of events and initiatives promoting the circular economy and sustainability, from October 23 to October 27.
A resolute commitment
Kia says that it has made "A resolute commitment to sustainability, placing it at the core of our business strategy with a long-term goal of carbon neutrality by 2045. As part of this initiative, Kia is dedicated to using recycled materials in vehicle production, including recycled ocean waste. Notably, Kia is a global supporter of The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation dedicated to developing and scaling technologies to combat plastic pollution in the world's oceans. In a recent milestone, The Ocean Cleanup successfully retrieved 55 tons of plastic from the Pacific Ocean in a single operation. This plastic was then recycled and upcycled for use in the production of the fully electric new Kia EV9."
Harmful plastics
Both Kia and Clean Coasts note that, alarmingly, some 88 per cent of marine life faces a threat due to plastics dumped into the ocean. Together with An Taisce, Kia and Clean Coasts are going to work together to sweep our coasts of harmful waste plastics, as well as exploring new and innovative ways in which our coasts could be cleaned up.
Speaking about the partnership, Cathal Kealey, Head of Marketing & PR at Kia Ireland, commented: "By 2030 Kia will have 20 per cent of all vehicle plastics coming from recycled materials. Our EV9 which will launch in Ireland in the coming weeks uses 10 sustainable items in vehicle production, that have either originated from recycled plastic or have been sourced from plant-based materials. Going forward, these materials will be used in all future Kia models also. We are delighted to support Clean Coasts and to assist them in finding ways to reuse collected beach waste in line with our circular economy initiatives."
Precious marine environment
Sinead McCoy, Coastal Communities Manager for Clean Coasts, commented: "During Circular Week, Clean Coasts programme welcomes the support of electric vehicle manufacturer Kia, whose support will allow us to continue to safeguard Ireland's coastlines and empower our dedicated volunteers, enabling them to make a tangible impact in the fight against ocean pollution. Together, we harness our collective strength to protect our precious marine environments. Through this partnership, Clean Coasts aims to empower its volunteers with additional resources and tools to enhance their impact, ultimately contributing to the protection of Ireland's stunning coastlines and the reduction of plastic waste."