Which Company Is The Worst Plastic Polluter?

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing issues facing the planet today. While individual consumers are increasingly making changes to reduce their plastic consumption, such as swapping plastic bottles for reusable glass and metal, the reality is that companies and governments must also step up and provide more sustainable choices. A recent study published in the journal Science Advances has revealed that 56 companies are responsible for half of the world's plastic pollution, with the top five offenders being The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Nestlè, Danone, and Altria-Philip Morris International. These companies now face pressure to implement real change and reduce their plastic waste.

Coca-Cola: the top polluter in brand audits

Coca-Cola has consistently been named the top polluter in brand audits conducted by Break Free From Plastic, a global movement committed to ending plastic pollution. The brand audits, which have been carried out annually since 2016, involve volunteers from around the world collecting and documenting plastic waste to identify the companies responsible for pollution.

In the 2023 Brand Audit, Coca-Cola was named the top global plastic polluter for the sixth consecutive year, with a total plastic waste count of 33,820 – the highest tally for the company since the project's inception. This was despite the fact that, for the first time, PepsiCo's branded plastic waste outnumbering Coca-Cola's, although Coca-Cola's waste was found in more countries (40 compared to PepsiCo's 30).

The 2022 Brand Audit, which analysed five years' worth of citizen science trash-collection data, also named Coca-Cola as the worst plastic polluter for the fifth year in a row. Over all five years, more Coca-Cola-branded items were collected than the next two top polluters combined, with more than 31,000 Coca-Cola-branded products found in 2022, doubling the proportion of Coca-Cola products found in 2018. Coca-Cola-branded plastic was found in 40 out of 42 participating countries and was the only brand to rank in the top three on all six continents.

The 2019 Brand Audit also named Coca-Cola as the world's most polluting brand, with 11,732 items collected, ahead of second-placed Nestle and third-placed PepsiCo.

In response to these findings, Coca-Cola has reiterated its commitment to making 100% of its packaging recyclable globally by 2025 and to using at least 50% recycled material in packaging by 2030. However, many believe that the company is not doing enough to tackle the plastic pollution problem, and its role as a sponsor of the UN climate change conference COP27 in Egypt has baffled environmental activists.

ExxonMobil: the top polluter overall

According to a report by the Minderoo Foundation, titled the Plastic Waste Makers Index, ExxonMobil is the top polluter overall, contributing 5.9 million tonnes to global plastic waste. The report was developed with partners including Wood Mackenzie, and experts from the London School of Economics and the Stockholm Environment Institute, among others.

ExxonMobil has been working on tackling plastic pollution. The company is a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, which focuses on developing safe, scalable, and economically viable solutions to help end plastic waste in the environment. ExxonMobil has also been working on increasing plastic recyclability, supporting improvements in plastic waste recovery, and working on technological solutions. For instance, in the Patagonia region of Chile, ExxonMobil collaborated with the Atando Cabos project to recycle plastic fishing ropes into high-quality products such as crates used for agricultural purposes.

In addition, ExxonMobil has been conducting advanced recycling trials at its facilities in Baytown, Texas. The company aims to convert plastic waste into raw materials for the production of high-value polymers and maximize resource recovery. ExxonMobil has also formed a joint venture with Agilyx Corporation and Cyclyx International LLC to develop innovative solutions for aggregating and preprocessing large volumes of plastic waste. These efforts demonstrate the company's commitment to addressing the issue of plastic waste and finding sustainable solutions.

Despite these initiatives, ExxonMobil's contribution to plastic pollution remains significant. As one of the largest corporations in the world, the company has the responsibility and resources to make substantial changes and reduce its environmental impact. ExxonMobil's sustainability strategy includes an integrated socioeconomic management approach to address potential risks to the environment and communities. The company also aims to achieve net-zero emissions in operated assets by 2050 and reduce methane emissions from operated assets.

PepsiCo, Nestle, and Danone: other top polluters

While ExxonMobil, Dow, and Sinopec are named as the top contributors to global plastic waste, other companies are also responsible for significant plastic pollution. PepsiCo, Nestle, and Danone are among the top polluters, with their plastic waste contributing to environmental issues.

PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a well-known multinational food and beverage company. While the company is a member of several initiatives to address plastic waste, it is also involved with trade groups that lobby against legislation related to plastic pollution.

Nestle

Nestle is the second most polluting company in the world regarding plastic waste. With a plastic footprint of 1.7 million tonnes annually, its plastic pollution extends across multiple countries. Nestle has a history of failing to meet its voluntary commitments to reduce plastic pollution and is a major producer of highly polluting single-use multi-layered sachets.

Danone

Danone, a food and beverage company, has set ambitious targets to address its plastic pollution. By 2040, the company aims to recover as much plastic as it uses, promoting a circular approach to packaging. Danone has been actively working towards this goal by investing in impact funds, private initiatives, and inclusive recycling projects globally. The company also plans to make all its packaging 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2030.

Investor and government action: the key to change?

While individual consumers are already making efforts to tackle plastic pollution, such as swapping plastic bottles for reusable glass and metal, the reality is that consumers alone cannot solve this crisis. Companies, investors, and governments need to take the lead in driving systemic change.

A study by Break Free From Plastic, an NGO, found that just 20 companies, including ExxonMobil, Dow, and Sinopec, are responsible for over half of all single-use plastic waste globally. Another study by Science Advances identified 56 companies, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé, as the top five contributors to more than 50% of branded plastic waste worldwide. These companies have a responsibility to reduce their plastic waste and provide more sustainable choices for consumers.

Investors play a crucial role in holding these companies accountable. Asset managers like Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and Capital Group hold significant shares in single-use plastic polymer producers and can drive a transition towards a circular economy based on recycled materials. Governments also have a key role in addressing the environmental impacts of supply chains and can use tools like the Trase initiative to bring transparency to financial institutions and encourage them to clean up their portfolios.

To solve the plastic pollution problem, we need to change how our products are made, used, and disposed of. This includes reducing the use of single-use plastics, increasing recycling efficiency, and incorporating more recycled content into packaging. By working together, investors, governments, and companies can drive the systemic change needed to address plastic pollution.

Plastic production: projected to grow by 30%

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today, with the material's growing production and difficulty of disposal leading to hazardous environmental consequences. A recent study revealed that 56 companies are responsible for 50% of the world's plastic pollution, with the top five contributors being The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Danone, and Altria-Philip Morris International. These companies have a significant impact on the planet, as evidenced by the discovery of a Coke bottle by Greenpeace in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, far from any inhabited land.

While individual consumers are making efforts to reduce their plastic consumption, such as switching to reusable materials and avoiding unnecessary packaging, the reality is that large corporations play a significant role in addressing this crisis. Consumer pressure is crucial, but substantial change requires companies, investors, and governments to take action. This involves transitioning to a circular economy, reducing the use of single-use plastics, and increasing the use of recycled materials instead of virgin polymers derived from fossil fuels.

The global plastics market is expected to grow, with a projected production of 445.25 million metric tons of thermoplastics by 2025. This trend is anticipated to continue, with an estimated increase of more than 30% by 2050, reaching approximately 590 million metric tons. The rising demand for plastics is driven by various factors, including the expansion of key application industries such as personal and household care, medicines, food and drinks, and the growing e-commerce sector.

Plastics are favoured for their low cost, high printability, and resistance to extreme environmental conditions. They are widely used in packaging, with products like bottles, tubes, cans, and containers often made through blow molding. The automotive and construction industries also contribute significantly to plastic consumption, with plastics used in irrigation, automotive manufacturing, and building construction. Asia Pacific, including countries like China, Japan, and India, is expected to be a primary growth market for plastics in the coming years.

To address the challenges posed by plastic pollution, various approaches have been proposed. These include the development of alternative materials, biodegradable plastics, and recycling methods. Intervention analyses suggest that proactive policies can mitigate sustainability challenges, and broader goals can be achieved by reducing footprints related to energy production and virgin plastic production. While plastic production is projected to grow by 30%, it is important to implement measures to ensure this growth is sustainable and does not exacerbate the existing plastic pollution crisis.

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