We Eat Ocean Plastic
Ocean plastic pollution is contaminating our food and water, with microplastics now found in human blood. By advancing sustainable packaging, Pop Top Lock helps reduce waste and supports a cleaner planet. If just 10% of the beverage industry adopted Pop Top Lock, the environmental impact would be equivalent to planting millions of trees annually, absorbing CO₂ and protecting marine life.
The Silent Killer Lurking in Our Waters
Every minute, a truckload of plastic enters the ocean. Marine life is choking. Microplastics are invading our food chain. And the beverage industry is one of the biggest culprits, producing over 150 billion plastic bottle caps and can seals annually, most of which never get recycled.
While aluminum cans boast a 75% global recycling rate, their plastic components—like can ends and seals—are rarely recovered. These plastic parts break down into microplastics, poisoning our oceans and, ultimately, us.
A big Solution: A 100% Recyclable, Plastic-Free Can End
The beverage industry is one of the largest contributors to plastic waste. In 2024, an estimated 430 to 440 billion beverage cans were produced globally but, many still include plastic components like pull tabs and seals. These plastic elements are not always recyclable and often end up in landfills or the ocean, where they break down into microplastics that pollute our water and food supply.
Pop Top Lock eliminates this problem.
Pop Top Lock is an all-aluminum, resealable can end. Every part of a Pop Top Lock stays within the standard aluminum recycling stream, meaning it can be 100% recycled, indefinitely.
Why This Matters: The Numbers Behind the Impact
Let’s break it down:
Over 150 billion plastic caps and can seals are produced annually, and most never get recycled. Instead, they end up in landfills, rivers, and oceans, where they contribute to the growing plastic pollution crisis.
If just 10% of the beverage industry switched to Pop Top Lock, we could prevent over 15 billion plastic components from entering the waste stream every year.
With aluminum being the most valuable and highly recycled material in the world (with a 75% recycling rate globally and up to 90% in some regions), transitioning to an all-aluminum solution keeps beverage containers in a closed-loop recycling system rather than leaking into the environment.
By replacing all plastic beverage closures with aluminum, we could reduce the global demand for single-use plastic and single-use aluminum cans by millions of tons annually.
The Environmental Impact: A Global Shift Toward Sustainability
Pop Top Lock’s impact extends beyond just reducing ocean-bound pollution:
Fewer Microplastics in Our Food and Water: Plastic caps and liners eventually break down into microplastics that contaminate 90% of drinking water worldwide and are now found in human blood, lungs, and even placentas. Eliminating plastic from cans means fewer toxic particles in our bodies.
Massive Carbon Footprint Reduction: The production of plastic caps and seals releases millions of metric tons of CO₂ annually. Shifting to fully aluminum packaging cuts emissions dramatically because aluminum can be infinitely recycled without losing quality, whereas plastic degrades after just a few cycles.
Lower Cleanup Costs & Cleaner Oceans: Governments and organizations spend billions of dollars each year cleaning up plastic pollution from beaches, rivers, and marine habitats. Reducing plastic beverage waste at the source means less need for costly cleanup efforts and healthier ecosystems.
A Business Opportunity Brands Can’t Ignore
Beyond sustainability, Pop Top Lock also provides beverage brands with a competitive edge:
Consumer Demand for Sustainability: Studies show that 74% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. Brands that adopt Pop Top Lock will attract eco-conscious customers who are actively avoiding plastic.
Regulatory Pressures on Plastic Waste: The European Union, Canada, and several U.S. states have already begun banning single-use plastics, including caps and closures. Brands that proactively switch to plastic-free solutions will avoid fines, legal restrictions, and supply chain disruptions.
Financial Savings in the Long Run: With plastic taxes and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws increasing costs for plastic-packaging producers, shifting to a fully recyclable, circular aluminum system will be a cost-effective investment in the future.
A Future Without Plastic Beverage Waste
The reality is clear: The beverage industry must move beyond plastic.
Pop Top Lock is not just an innovative product—it’s a scalable, global solution that aligns with the world’s shift toward circular economies and sustainable packaging. By adopting this technology, beverage brands can play a pivotal role in saving our oceans, protecting human health, and reducing plastic pollution on a massive scale.
The future of beverage packaging is single-use plastic-free and Pop Top Lock is leading the charge.