Survey finds that 60 firms are responsible for half of world’s plastic pollution

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🗞️ Driving the news: A recent study implicates fewer than 60 multinational companies as responsible for over half of global plastic pollution, with the top five offenders including Philip Morris International, Danone, Nestlé, PepsiCo, and Coca-Cola contributing to a quarter of it
• This extensive research involved analyzing over 1.87 million items of plastic waste collected from 84 countries

🔭 The context: The study emphasized a direct correlation between increased plastic production and heightened environmental pollution, critiquing the heavy reliance on single-use packaging prevalent among major consumer goods companies
• Additionally, it called out the need for greater transparency and accountability in the manufacturing and disposal of plastic products

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: This research highlights the significant environmental impact of ongoing plastic production, which has doubled since 2000 while recycling remains minimal
• The study's findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive global regulations to cap and manage plastic production to mitigate pollution

⏭️ What's next: As discussions for a UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution continue in Ottawa, the study's insights are being used to argue for stringent production-based regulations in the upcoming global agreement
• This could potentially lead to legally binding measures to control and reduce plastic waste internationally.

💬 One quote: "Production really is pollution," — Lisa Erdle, director of science at The 5 Gyres Institute.

📈 One stat: Only 9% of plastic is being recycled, despite rising production levels.

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