A Blockchain is a list of records, or “blocks” that are linked to all previous records, secured, verified and encrypted. A Blockchain is especially secure for transactions such as plastics purchases on PlastiTrail.com because every new record is linked to all prior records and all records are duplicated, published, stored and encrypted at multiple locations. Blockchains can help build trust between plastics buyers and sellers by securely storing all sales transactions or contracts in a way that is virtually impossible to alter or tamper with after the fact. If there are ever any questions about the plastics that have been sold the Blockchain can provide a secure record for reviewing the paperwork associated with the transaction.

There are many plastics suppliers around the world that may not have the ability to sell their products in distant markets, sometimes because of the cost of reaching new markets and sometimes because they have not had the opportunity to gain the trust of foreign buyers in the quality and performance of their plastics. The goal of the PlastiTrail.com Global Plastics Marketplace is to help all plastics suppliers, even smaller suppliers, to reach potential customers in even distant markets and to build trust through earning higher ratings in the Marketplace. All transactions will be encrypted and stored on a distributed ledger and duplicated and verified on multiple Blockchain nodes in case there are ever any questions about a particular sale.

Sellers have the opportunity to build trust with potential buyers by selling and delivering plastics to buyers that can earn themselves higher ratings in the Marketplace. Any information that is provided to a buyer such as photographs, bills of lading, certifications and product data sheets will be encrypted, stored on a distributed ledger that both the buyer and seller can securely access and that is duplicated and verified on multiple Blockchain nodes in order to make each contract virtually impossible to alter or tamper with. This helps to protect the buyer and the seller if there are any questions after the sale about what information was provided about the product.

Blockchain nodes include approved members of PlastiTrail.com that act as validators of the information contained in the Blockchain. Nodes pass around and check additions to the PlastiTrail.com ledger in encrypted form. Examples of encrypted information can include completed contracts and other documents such as certifications and photos that were provided to a buyer by a seller. Security is further protected because nodes have no ability to decrypt the information they are validating. The use of multiple Blockchain nodes is essentially the mechanism that helps make each sales transaction on PlastiTrail.com virtually impossible to alter or tamper with after the fact. And with sales transactions virtually impossible to alter after the fact, buyers and sellers can build trust with current and potential partners.

If your company is distributing plastics from a particular resin supplier a copy of a bill of lading from the resin supplier to the distributor (but blacking out any sensitive information), a supplier data sheet or other product identifying or certifying information can be made a part of the sales transaction and then encrypted, stored on a distributed ledger that both the buyer and seller can securely access and that is duplicated and verified on multiple Blockchain nodes in order to make each contract virtually impossible to alter. An encrypted bill of lading or other information identifying the supplier of the plastics resin to the distributor will help support the original origin of the resin and over time sellers have the opportunity to earn themselves higher ratings in the Marketplace. Brokers and distributors may also be able to sell more value-added, brand name material than generic plastics with a secure way of documenting the origin of their material.

A certification or bill of lading from a seller that your company has bought consumer scrap from (but blacking out pricing or other sensitive information) can be made of part of the sales transaction which will be encrypted and stored on a distributed ledger and duplicated and verified on multiple Blockchain nodes in order to make the certification or bill of lading your company provides virtually impossible to alter. In the event of future questions about the original source of the material the original certifications will be available as part of a contract that is virtually impossible to alter. Contracts encrypted and stored on PlastiTrail.com can help support post-consumer content requirements for regulations such as the California Rigid Plastic Packaging Container (RPPC) option for minimum levels of recycled post-consumer plastics.

PlastiTrail.com allows your company to make a contract that will be encrypted, stored on a distributed ledger that both the buyer and seller can securely access and that is duplicated and verified on multiple Blockchain nodes, which makes each contract virtually impossible to alter. Trusting in the integrity of a contract helps to build trust between buyers and sellers. In addition, good ratings for a buyer or seller on the Marketplace also help to build trust between potential buyers and sellers.

No. Payments for shipments are handled between the buyer and the seller outside of the Marketplace, but the conditions and terms of payment can be stated in an encrypted contract made on PlastiTrail.com that is virtually impossible to alter after the fact.

The details of transactions made outside of PlastiTrail.com may not be as resistant to alteration or hacking after the fact, which could lead to potential disputes between buyers and sellers. In order to further enhance security, each individual transaction on PlastiTrail.com is also individually encrypted in order to segregate a buyer’s or seller’s individual transactions from all of their other transactions. In addition, good ratings for a buyer or seller in the Marketplace are often viewed more favorably by other potential buyers or sellers if your company’s ratings are more recent and if there are more rather than fewer transactions that have been rated.

There is never 100% certainty no matter where plastics are purchased, but by having a supplier’s representations encrypted, stored on a distributed ledger that both the buyer and seller can securely access and that is duplicated and verified on multiple Blockchain nodes, each contract will be virtually impossible to alter. There will be a secure record of what had been promised in the event of any questions after the sale. The supplier rating system also helps to build trust in good performing suppliers over time. Supplier and buyer ratings and continued membership in the Marketplace are also subject to review at any time for adherence to PlastiTrail.com’s Terms of Use, or in the event of complaints. PlastiTrail.com may ask for additional verification of listings or ratings on the Marketplace at any time.

All buyers and sellers may be subject to verification of their company identity, as well as other company information such as a Value Added Tax Registration Number.

PlastiTrail.com is designed to be a Business to Business (B2B) marketplace. Seller memberships are limited to companies, rather than individuals. Buyers may be individuals, but must have a company affiliation which may be subject to verification.

Approved buyers receive memberships at no cost. Approved sellers, after any free trial period, are charged annually for their subscriptions, as well as monthly for the balance of the subscription year for any incremental volumes sold on PlastiTrail.com that are above the annual subscription volume maximum.

https://plastitrail.com/PrivacyPolicy

PlastiTrail.com is intended to be a private Blockchain where the goal is to have participants known, rather than opening the viewing and verification of the Blockchain to the general public. Members will require approval before participating and must agree to follow the Terms of Service as a condition of continued membership.

There is no limit on the quantity of plastics offered for sale on a particular listing. If, for example, ten million lbs. of a particular plastic are offered for sale the amounts of each individual sales transaction that is completed will be individually encrypted and deducted from the original amount offered for sale. A seller may also reduce or remove the volume offered for sale in a listing if the plastics offered for sale are no longer available in whole or in part for sale on PlastiTrail.com.

Subscriptions are billed annually after the expiration of any free trial period and monthly for any sales over the subscription year maximum of pounds or metric tons until the start of the next subscription year. Annual subscriptions may be cancelled by giving us at least thirty (30) days notice before the date of the next annual subscription via email at info@plastitrail.com

PlastiTrail.com accepts all major credit cards. All charges are in U.S. dollars. We do not accept PayPal or other forms of payment at this time.