The role of brands

Facts and insights

Source: BreakFeeFromPlastic

The role of brands in plastic pollution

Plastic pollution is an urgent environmental issue with severe global consequences. A recent study published in Science Advances on April 24, 2024, sheds new light on the responsibility of major brands for plastic pollution in our environment. This new research, conducted by scientists from the United States, Australia, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom, demonstrates how plastic production directly correlates with the amount of plastic pollution.

Brands and their impact on plastic pollution

The study relies on data from the BreakFreeFromPlastic program, conducted in 84 countries between 2018 and 2022. Over these five years, 1,576 audit events took place, during which volunteers collected waste and documented the brands on the found plastic items. Data revealed that 50% of the collected plastic items were unbranded, highlighting the necessity for mandatory reporting by producers.

Of the branded items, the top five polluters were:

  1. The Coca-Cola Company (11%)
  2. PepsiCo (5%)
  3. Nestlé (3%)
  4. Danone (3%)
  5. Altria/Philip Morris International (2%)

These five companies were responsible for 24% of the total number of branded items, while 56 companies accounted for more than half of the branded pollution.

A linear relationship

A remarkable finding of the study is the strong log-log linear relationship between the production of plastic by companies and the amount of plastic pollution they cause. For every 1% increase in the production of plastic consumer goods, there is a corresponding 1% increase in plastic pollution. This pattern was consistent across different geographical areas and waste management systems.

Fast-Moving Consumer Goods: the largest polluters

The study highlights that companies in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector – such as food, beverages, and tobacco products – disproportionately contribute to plastic pollution. While these companies produce a large portion of plastic products, they are also the largest polluters. This suggests that targeted measures in this sector could have a significant impact on reducing plastic pollution globally.

The way forward: reducing plastic production

The research emphasizes that reducing the production of single-use and short-lived plastic products by the largest polluters is an effective way to mitigate global plastic pollution. These findings come at a crucial time, as world leaders gather this month in Ottawa, Canada, for the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to negotiate a Global Plastics Treaty.

The study serves as an important tool to support an ambitious and legally binding treaty that includes provisions on corporate responsibility, with an emphasis on measures to reduce plastic production and promote reuse and refill systems.

This comprehensive analysis underscores the urgent need for plastic producers to take responsibility for their role in global plastic pollution. By reducing plastic production, we can take a significant step toward a cleaner and more sustainable future. As policymakers work to shape a global agreement to combat plastic pollution, it is crucial that they consider the findings of this research and the recommendations to limit plastic production and hold companies accountable for their contribution to the problem..

Sources

#BreakFreeFromPlastic

Global producer responsibility for plastic pollution, research paper published in Science Advances on April 24, 2024.

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