Empower - Ocean Plastic Certificates
Sector: Tertiary sector · Industry: Cleaning and caretaker services · Organisation: Empower, Inframar, DNV · Maturity level: Production
Ocean plastic collection is complex and expensive, often lacking transparency and trust in the origin of collected materials. Empower collaborates with Inframar and DNV to use blockchain technology for tamper-proof certification of ocean plastic. The solution captures time, location and properties of collected plastic in the blockchain and creates trustworthy certificates, enabling the collection of up to 30,000 tons of plastic per year with one vessel.
Documentation status
- Project status: Production
- Evidence: Evidence medium
- Editorial review: Ufuk Avci, 15 April 2026
Description
Tide Ocean SA (Switzerland) issues blockchain-verified Ocean Plastic Certificates. Empower (Norway) is an app-based platform where collectors worldwide document plastic collections and receive rewards. Tide Ocean and Empower have formed a partnership to jointly offer verifiable ocean plastic tracking solutions.
The problem with ocean plastic claims: companies claim to have removed X tonnes of ocean plastic — but the proof is often unreliable or unverifiable. Greenwashing is widespread. Tide Ocean solves this: plastic collections are documented with GPS coordinates, photos, and weight measurements; third-party auditors verify the collection; a blockchain-secured certificate is issued that precisely represents this collection. Brands purchase these certificates as verified proof of sustainability. Empower partnership: Empower is an app where plastic collectors worldwide (beaches, waters, urban areas) document their collections and receive token rewards. The Empower blockchain infrastructure provides traceability data; Tide Ocean issues the corporate certificates. Business Norway reported on the approach as an innovative model for combating ocean plastic. Tide Ocean’s corporate partners include HP, Procter & Gamble, Flex.
Perspectives
B2B — organisations perspective
Companies can demonstrate a verifiable contribution to ocean plastic reduction through blockchain-verified Tide Ocean certificates — for CSRD reporting, sustainability marketing, and supply chain transparency.
B2C — consumers perspective
Consumers can gain trust in products made from recycled ocean plastic through blockchain certificates. Transparent origin documentation enables informed purchasing decisions for sustainable products.
Employees perspective
Employees involved in collection and processing must learn new digital skills for blockchain data capture. At the same time, specialised jobs are created in ocean plastic certification and processing.
Benefits
General
- Blockchain certification prevents fraud with fake ocean plastic and builds trust throughout the supply chain.
- Companies can credibly document their sustainability goals and differentiate themselves from competitors.
- The solution promotes the circular economy and contributes to reducing marine pollution.
B2B — organisations
- Verified proof of origin enables premium prices for demonstrably sustainable ocean plastic.
B2C — consumers
- Consumers receive transparent information about the origin of sustainable products.
Employees
- New specialised jobs are created in ocean plastic collection and certification.
Challenges
General
- Integrating blockchain technology into existing collection processes requires significant technical adjustments and training.
- Scaling the solution to global collection operations places high demands on the technical infrastructure.
B2B — organisations
- Industry-wide acceptance of blockchain certificates still needs to be established.
Employees
- Collection teams must be trained in new digital skills for blockchain data capture.
Technology foundation
Blockchain technology enables immutable storage of data about the time, place, and characteristics of collected ocean plastic. This decentralised database builds trust among all supply chain participants, as the material’s origin can be tracked tamper-proof.
Implementation examples
Empower-Inframar-DNV Ocean Plastic Certification
The problem of counterfeit ocean plastic certificates and lack of transparency in the supply chain was to be solved through immutable blockchain documentation. Companies needed trustworthy proof for their sustainability goals and were willing to pay premium prices for verified material.
Empower implemented a blockchain solution for certifying ocean plastic together with Inframar and DNV.
The Norwegian project uses blockchain technology for tamper-proof documentation of the collection location, time, and properties of ocean plastic. Inframar operates specialised collection vessels and carries out analysis and sorting, while DNV issues internationally recognised chain-of-custody certificates. The solution enables the collection of up to 30,000 tonnes of plastic per year with one vessel and builds trust for major buyers in the textile and fisheries industries.
The solution prevents fraud through counterfeit ocean plastic certificates and creates transparency throughout the entire collection and processing. The partnership between collectors, certifiers, and blockchain experts ensures internationally recognised standards.
Tags
Ocean plastic, Circular economy, Certification, Sustainability, Supply chain