Kiera Jefferson
Plastic Pollution Coalition is a non-profit communications and advocacy organization that works with a global alliance of organizations, businesses, and individuals to address plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on the environment, wildlife, climate, human health, and social justice. They advocate for a reduction in plastic production and freedom from corporate influence, and have used celebrity endorsements and lawsuits to further their cause. The coalition also focuses on taking small steps for systemic change, such as encouraging the use of reusable bags and alternatives to plastic packaging.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Organization | Non-profit communications and advocacy organization |
| Focus | Ending plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on people, animals, and the environment |
| Target | Individuals, organizations, businesses, and policymakers |
| Methods | Campaigns, lawsuits, celebrity endorsements, webinars, events, statements |
| Goals | Reduce plastic production, minimize plastic waste, increase recycled plastics, protect human health and the environment |
| Notable Campaigns | Plastic Free July, UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations |
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What You'll Learn
- The coalition's work with individuals, organisations, and businesses
- Campaigns to pressure companies to stop using plastic packaging
- The impact of plastic pollution on people, animals, and the environment
- The coalition's advocacy work, including celebrity endorsements
- The coalition's stance on the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations
The coalition's work with individuals, organisations, and businesses
The Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) is a non-profit communications and advocacy organisation that works with individuals, organisations, and businesses to create a more just, equitable, and regenerative world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts.
PPC has a growing global alliance of members and invites individuals, organisations, and businesses to join the coalition. The coalition works with its members to take small steps for systemic change, encouraging them to build real solutions to plastic pollution on a large scale. For example, PPC encourages members to refuse single-use plastic, with initiatives such as Plastic Free July, a global challenge to refuse single-use plastic throughout the month. PPC also provides information on eco-friendly alternatives to plastic, such as metal, glass, paper, and silicone, although it notes that silicone is technically a type of plastic and therefore not completely free of environmental and health risks.
PPC has also used celebrity endorsements to attract support, including a video featuring actor Jeff Bridges that was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Other celebrity supporters include Jeff Franklin, Alexandra Paul, Amy Smart, and Ben Harper. PPC has campaigned to pressure companies to discontinue plastic packaging, although some critics have questioned whether switching to glass bottles is better for the environment. PPC has also been criticised by the 2021 Netflix documentary Seaspiracy for not speaking up about plastic pollution from the commercial fishing industry.
In addition to its work with individuals and businesses, PPC has also been involved in legal action. In 2015, PPC and the environmental law firm Greenfire sued 3,000 plastic manufacturers in California for allegedly violating stormwater permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. In April 2020, PPC and the Earth Island Institute filed a lawsuit against Clorox, Coca-Cola, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Procter and Gamble in California superior courts. PPC has also urged the U.S. government to lead by forging ambitious solutions to plastic pollution, such as a reduction in plastic production and freedom from corporate influence.
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Campaigns to pressure companies to stop using plastic packaging
The Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) is a non-profit communications and advocacy organisation. It is a global alliance of individuals, organisations, and businesses working together to end plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on people, animals, and the environment.
PPC has used celebrity endorsements to attract support for its campaigns to pressure companies to discontinue plastic packaging. One PPC video featuring actor Jeff Bridges was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Other celebrity supporters include Jeff Franklin, Alexandra Paul, Amy Smart, and Ben Harper.
In 2015, PPC and the environmental law firm Greenfire sued 3,000 plastic manufacturers in California for allegedly violating stormwater permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. In April 2020, PPC and the Earth Island Institute filed a lawsuit against Clorox, Coca-Cola, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Procter and Gamble in California superior courts. The companies being sued collectively produce about 15% of all single-use plastic packaging. The American Beverage Association responded to the suit, stating that some of its members are actively addressing the problem of plastic pollution.
PPC has also supported California's AB 1998, which would ban plastic bags and encourage reusable bag use at grocery stores, pharmacies, and convenience stores. Plastic bags are a primary component of urban litter, which is the primary component of marine pollution.
PPC encourages people to take small steps for systemic change, such as participating in Plastic Free July, a global challenge to refuse single-use plastic throughout the month. PPC also invites individuals, organisations, and businesses to join the coalition.
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The impact of plastic pollution on people, animals, and the environment
Plastic pollution is an environmental, wildlife, climate, human health, and social justice issue. It has become one of the most pressing environmental issues due to the overwhelming rise in disposable plastic products.
Impact on the Environment
Plastic pollution has a detrimental impact on the environment. It is most visible in developing Asian and African nations, where garbage collection systems are often inefficient or non-existent. Even the developed world struggles with properly collecting discarded plastics, especially in countries with low recycling rates. Plastic trash has become ubiquitous, prompting efforts to create a global treaty negotiated by the United Nations.
Once plastic waste enters oceans, it is challenging, if not impossible, to retrieve. While mechanical systems can collect large pieces of plastic from inland waters, microplastics that spread throughout the water column in the open ocean are virtually impossible to recover.
Impact on Animals
Plastic pollution is harmful to all wildlife, including marine and land animals. Marine plastic pollution can spread worldwide once caught up in ocean currents. Over 800 marine and coastal species are impacted by entanglement, and thousands more accidentally ingest plastic, mistaking it for food.
Microplastics have been found in hundreds of species, including 86% of sea turtle species, 44% of seabird species, and 43% of marine mammal species. Tests have confirmed that microplastics can cause liver and cell damage, as well as disrupt reproductive systems. For example, oysters may produce fewer eggs, threatening population growth.
Land animals also face similar dangers from ingesting plastic waste, leading to intestinal blockages and, in some cases, death. For instance, a wild elephant in India died from ingesting plastic, which blocked its intestines and caused internal bleeding and organ failure.
Additionally, microplastics leech into soil and water sources from landfills, reducing the number of species that live below the surface, such as mites, larvae, and other tiny creatures. Chlorinated plastic can also release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil and groundwater.
Impact on People
Plastic pollution potentially impacts human health. Microplastics have been found in the human body, and they can enter the food chain through contaminated food sources like fruits and vegetables.
Overall, plastic pollution has far-reaching consequences for people, animals, and the environment, underscoring the importance of addressing this global issue.
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The coalition's advocacy work, including celebrity endorsements
The Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) is a non-profit communications and advocacy organisation. It works with a global alliance of organisations, businesses, and individuals to create a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts.
PPC has used celebrity endorsements to attract support. An advocacy video featuring actor Jeff Bridges was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people. Other celebrity supporters include Jeff Franklin, Alexandra Paul, Amy Smart, and Ben Harper.
PPC has also campaigned to pressure companies to discontinue plastic packaging. In 2015, PPC and the environmental law firm Greenfire sued 3,000 plastic manufacturers in California for allegedly violating stormwater permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. In April 2020, PPC and the Earth Island Institute filed a lawsuit against Clorox, Coca-Cola, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Procter and Gamble in California superior courts. The companies named in the suit collectively produce about 15% of all single-use plastic packaging.
PPC has urged the U.S. government to lead by forging ambitious solutions to plastic pollution, such as a reduction in plastic production and freedom from corporate influence. It has also encouraged people to take small steps for systemic change, such as refusing single-use plastic during Plastic Free July.
PPC's advocacy work also includes initiatives like the Sustain L.A. Refill Station, which supplies customers with products that are usually hard to obtain without buying new plastic bottles, such as shampoo, laundry detergent, and household cleaners.
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The coalition's stance on the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations
The Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) is a non-profit communications and advocacy organisation. It works with a global alliance of individuals, organisations, and businesses and policymakers to address plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on people, animals and the environment.
PPC has been involved in various campaigns and lawsuits to pressure companies to discontinue plastic packaging. For example, in 2015, PPC and the environmental law firm Greenfire sued 3,000 plastic manufacturers in California for allegedly violating stormwater permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. In 2020, PPC filed a lawsuit against Clorox, Coca-Cola, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Procter and Gamble in California. The suit claimed that these companies collectively produce about 15% of all single-use plastic packaging.
PPC has also used celebrity endorsements to attract support, including a video featuring actor Jeff Bridges, which was viewed by hundreds of thousands of people.
In terms of the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, PPC urges the US government to take a stronger stance and lead by example by implementing ambitious solutions, such as reducing plastic production and remaining independent of corporate influence. PPC invites individuals, organisations and businesses to join the coalition and work towards a world free of plastic pollution.
Overall, the Plastic Pollution Coalition aims to address plastic pollution through advocacy, campaigns and legal action, and its stance on the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations is likely consistent with these efforts.
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Frequently asked questions
The Plastic Pollution Coalition (PPC) is a non-profit communications and advocacy organisation that works with a global alliance of organisations, businesses, and individuals to create a world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts.
The PPC focuses on ending the use of single-use and disposable plastics. They also work to bridge like-minded activists and organisations on six continents. The PPC has used celebrity endorsements to attract support and has campaigned to pressure companies to stop using plastic packaging.
The PPC has sued plastic manufacturers in California for allegedly violating stormwater permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. They also filed a lawsuit against Clorox, Coca-Cola, Mars, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Procter and Gamble in California superior courts. The PPC has also been involved in Plastic Free July, a global challenge to refuse single-use plastic for a month.
The PPC has not explicitly stated its stance on bioplastics. However, they have emphasised the importance of reducing plastic consumption and production, as well as the need for proper waste management and recycling.
