Freedom Pizza pledges to reduce plastic waste

UAE-based Freedom Pizza has pledged to reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic with its delivery orders. Freedom Pizza will stop providing straws with orders and will not send a cutlery pack, instead customers will be asked to purchase biodegradable cutlery.

Freedom Pizza has been inspired by the thoughtful acts of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai, who last year dedicated the launch of International Volunteer Day by cleaning the sea.

As a member of the Strawless Ocean Institution, Freedom Pizza already uses uniquely branded cardboard boxes to deliver food. It already uses recycled napkins and recycled plastic bags, nevertheless the company is looking to develop similar, on-demand arrangements with biodegradable bags to minimise impact. All the produce used at Freedom Pizza is sourced locally and direct from the suppliers, keeping the company and its partners green.

This recent move to reduce plastic waste further emphasises Freedom Pizza’s commitment to operating in an ethical manner. The pizza delivery company is working in collaboration with the local chapter of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the international, non-profit, marine wild life conservation organisation, which has the same objective of spreading awareness.

“Since launching we have felt ethically and morally bound to look after our team. We have invested heavily in our road safety campaign, providing drivers with high quality protection gear, well maintained delivery bikes and both medical and compensation insurances. It is now time to expand our ethical focus to the world around us. We have been amongst the many delivery services sending plastic straws and cutlery with every order. The ‘Don’t Suck’ campaign originated in the US and after being inspired we decided to join efforts to save the environment and marine world,” says Ian Ohan, founder & CEO, Freedom Pizza.

The Strawless Ocean movement reports, in the US alone, 500 million straws are used every year. Campaigners have warned if action is not taken, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050, which is an extremely worrying thought. Plastic straws end up in the ocean primarily through human error, and an estimated 71% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have been found with plastics in their stomachs.