TONTOTON Certified Plastic Credits

TONTOTON is a social enterprise founded in 2019 by Barak Ekshtein that works in coastal communities of Cambodia and Vietnam. It targets low-value, non-recyclable plastic such as bags, shoes and food packaging, which has no commodity market and usually ends up in waterways or the sea.

The company turns coastal households and independent waste pickers into what it calls Community Barriers: plastic is collected from homes and shorelines, inspected, weighed and paid for at a stable trade price, then sorted by colour and polymer and recycled, upcycled or co-processed. Businesses buy certified plastic credits, where one credit equals the collection and treatment of one tonne of non-recyclable ocean-bound plastic, to match their own plastic footprint. Processing is verified by Control Union under the Social+ OBP certification. Buyers include travel, cruise, logistics and hospitality brands.

• Certified plastic credits: one credit represents the collection and treatment of one tonne of non-recyclable ocean-bound plastic.
• Community Barrier collection: households and waste pickers collect plastic before and after it reaches shorelines and waterways.
• Third-party verification: processing is submitted to Control Union for a Social+ OBP neutralization certificate.
• Sorting and treatment: plastic is sorted by colour and polymer, then recycled, upcycled or co-processed.
• Impact reporting: reports on tonnes removed and families supported for use in CSR communication.
• Recycling Studio: recycled plastic sheets and furniture made from collected material.

Hotels and resorts in Phu Quoc, Nha Trang or Da Nang can sponsor coastal collection and report verified plastic neutrality to guests. FMCG and food brands in Vietnam can offset flexible packaging that has no recycling market. Tour operators and cruise lines can link credits to reusable products or tours.

Companies can offset their plastic footprint ton for ton with credits tied to non-recyclable plastic that would otherwise stay in the environment. Third-party verification by Control Union gives a certificate that can be cited in CSR and sustainability reports. Each sponsorship also supports waste pickers, 57% of whom are women according to the site, which adds a measurable social impact. Partners receive impact reports on tonnes removed and families supported.

Brands face growing pressure to show action on plastic beyond recyclable bottles, and plastic credit schemes with independent audits are becoming a tool for plastic neutrality claims. In Vietnam, extended producer responsibility for packaging is now in force, and low-value plastic remains the hardest fraction to recover in coastal and island areas.

Founded in 2019 by Barak Ekshtein; the registered address of TONTOTON Co Ltd is in Preah Sihanoukville, Cambodia, with team members in Vietnam and a Vietnamese contact number. It holds the Social+ OBP certification audited by Control Union and cites recognition from UNESCO, the World Economic Forum (UpLink) and UNDP. Partners include ClimeCo, Zero Plastic Oceans, RMIT Vietnam and ENDA Vietnam.