Successful Clean-up mission

• 30 tons of waste collected: Successful clean-up mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina thanks to GROHE Blue customers

• Joint forces: GROHE and everwave continue their long-term partnership in fighting the global plastic crisis

• Straight from the tap: GROHE Blue helps eliminate plastic bottles in everyday life

Düsseldorf, 16th March 2022 – According to the latest projections, the plastic waste concentration in oceans is threatening to quadruple by 2050 with frightening effects for humans and animals alike.(1) This finding is part of a recently published WWF review which provides the latest analysis of the extent of plastic pollution in oceans. The WWF makes it unmistakably clear that it is more important than ever to act now. GROHE, a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings, is intensifying its own plastic prevention endeavors: Launched in 2018, its Less Plastic Initiative includes offering plastic waste-saving product solutions, eliminating unnecessary plastic from its product packaging and supporting innovative clean-up technologies to preserve the environment for future generations.

“Made for your water” campaign: A great success

When it comes to the protection of natural water sources, GROHE believes in a synergy of individual and organizational responsibility. Together with the German environmental non-governmental organization everwave(2) and its high-tech “CollectiX” garbage-collecting boat, the brand has now collected a total of 30 tons of waste from the Bočac Reservoir in Bosnia and Herzegovina in February 2022 – this equals the weight of over one million 1.5l PET-bottles(3). Equipped with technology to analyze the composition of the waste, the boat frees the water from various plastic packaging and other objects that have a negative impact on fragile ecosystems. The goal now is to close the loop and get as much material as possible back into the circle.

This clean-up activity is a direct result of GROHE’s “Made for your water” campaign in which GROHE pledged to collect one kilo of waste from European waters for every GROHE Blue purchased between 1st August and 31st December 2021 in the EMENA region. Consumers were given the opportunity to make a direct contribution towards a cleaner environment while eliminating single-use plastic bottles from their own everyday life – without compromising on comfort or convenience. The innovative water system offers filtered, chilled, still, medium, or sparkling water straight from the tap. Once installed, GROHE Blue can significantly reduce future plastic consumption, saving a family of four up to 800 single-use plastic bottles a year.(4)

“Being able to make a difference and play a part in global sustainability efforts is becoming more and more important for households and people everywhere – especially since the pandemic. We are delighted by the success of our GROHE Blue ‘Made for your water’ campaign and enabling consumers a more sustainable lifestyle while also actively making waterways cleaner,” says Jonas Brennwald, Leader LIXIL EMENA and Co-CEO Grohe AG. “It is not enough to prevent future plastic pollution alone, but we as a company and as a brand must do our part in restoring fragile ecosystems already affected by existing plastic waste. The plastic crisis is a problem that can only be tackled together, so we are particularly thankful for our strong partnership with everwave and the trust consumers put in our products.”

Tackling the plastic crisis together: The power of joint partnerships

The recent clean-up activity is only one cornerstone of GROHE’s longstanding collaboration with everwave, an organization that uses innovative clean-up technologies to collect plastic waste from rivers and lakes before it enters the oceans. Together they are committed to driving education to underline the severe impact plastic waste is having on ecosystems and to motivate consumers to pursue a plastic-free lifestyle. “We are proud to have a partner in GROHE who shares our vision of a better, plastic-free future and with whom we can raise awareness for the prevailing plastic crisis and drive concrete action. We are looking forward to many more projects to come,” says Clemens Feigl, CEO & Co-Founder of everwave.

GROHE wins Special Award at Kitchen Innovation Award

For its responsible corporate management with regards to “Conservation of resources”, “Climate-neutral production” and “Global social engagement”, GROHE has been awarded the special prize at the annual German Kitchen Innovation Award 2022.

(1) Impacts of plastic pollution in the oceans on marine species, biodiversity and ecosystems (WWF Germany): https://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm-wwf/Publikationen-PDF/Plastik/WWF-Impacts_of_plastic_pollution_in_the_ocean_on_marine_species__biodiversity_and_ecosystems.pdf

(2) Formerly known as Pacific Garbage Screening

(3) The weighted average for the 1.5l PET non-returnable bottles is 29.47 g according to the AKÖG ÖKO-Index 2019 survey:
https://www.bgvz.de/downloads/pdfs/PreisLeistungsVerhaeltnis-Gewichtsreduktion-BGVZ.pdf

(4) Environmental Action Germany (DUH): https://www.duh.de/mehrweg-klimaschutz0/einweg-plastikflaschen

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