The top plastic polluters – Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé – have been accused of “zero progress” on reducing plastic waste. It’s the third consecutive year that Coca-Cola is ranked #1 and the other companies following in 2nd and 3rd. As much as they all promote sustainability goals, the evidence shows their tactics aren’t working.
The environmental initiative, Break Free From Plastic, had 15,000 volunteers in 55 countries collect plastic litter from their surrounding environment. Each person kept a record of the garbage they collected and what brand each piece came from. All the data was compiled into an annual audit. The initiative then wrote a report – as it does every year – about the survey.
In total, 346,494 pieces of plastic were discarded in parks, rivers, beaches, and other sites – 63% were labeled with a consumer brand. Coca-Cola was ranked the world’s #1 plastic polluter in 51 out of 55 countries, with 13,834 pieces of litter collected – more than Nestlé (8,633) and Pepsi (5,155) and combined.
“The majority of plastic we come across cannot be recycled. We find it everywhere, in our waste stream, on our land. When it is buried, it contaminates our soil. Whatever cannot be recycled must not be produced.”
A separate survey by NGO Tearfund published in March found Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Unilever responsible for 500,000 tons of plastic pollution in just six countries yearly. These companies are failing to make meaningful changes, regardless of their promises. Read more…
