PG 02

Executive Summary

In 2021, the mission to hold corporations

FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW, BREAK FREE

accountable for their pollution has particular

FROM PLASTIC HAS IDENTIFIED THE WORLD’S TOP

significance as the world’s leaders come together

PLASTIC-POLLUTING CORPORATIONS.

at the United Nations Climate Change Conference(COP26) to negotiate how to limit global heatingThanks to 11,184 volunteers in 45 countries,

to 1.5°C. Plastic is made from fossil fuels, and the440 brand audits were conducted across six

world’s addiction to single-use plastic is a serious

continents. A brand audit is an initiative that

contributor to the climate crisis. If the entire

involves counting and documenting the brands

plastic

found on plastic waste to help identify the

lifecycle were a country, it would be the fifthcompanies responsible for plastic pollution. In

largest emitter of greenhouse gases1 in the world.

total, 330,493 pieces of plastic pollution were

Fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) companies

collected and analyzed in order to identify thesuch as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Mondelēz,companies polluting the most places with theDanone, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Procter &most plastic waste.

Gamble, and Mars buy packaging2 from manufacturers supplied with plastic resin from fossil fuelParticipants documented brands from 7,762 parent

companies like ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevroncompanies this year. Our analysis found that thePhillips, Ineos, and Dow. The corporations behind

top plastic-polluting corporations of 2021 are: The

the plastic pollution crisis are also contributing toCoca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Unilever, Nestlé,

the climate crisis3.

Procter & Gamble, Mondelēz International, Philip
Morris International, Danone, Mars, Inc.,The Coca-Cola Company has retained its dirty

and Colgate-Palmolive.

crown as the world’s top polluter for the fourthPG 03

year in a row, despite voluntary commitments

Young people have the most to lose from thestarted in 2018 to collect one bottle for every one

world failing to tackle both the climate andsold4. In fact, brand audits recorded more

plastic pollution crises, despite having done theCoca-Cola products than the next two top

least to cause them. Youth in the Global Southpolluters combined—as has been the case eachare living with the heaviest consequences of bothyear since 2019—suggesting that Coca-Cola’s

the climate crisis and plastic pollution, making it

pledge is having little impact on the environ-

harder for them to tackle either. This is why thismental pollution caused by their products.

year’s brand audit report highlights youth voicesfrom around the world, and why 20% of all brand

PepsiCo’s ranking remains steady, as theaudit events were youth-led.

company has been in the top three plastic
polluters every year since 2018. PepsiCo recently

It is more important than ever that national

announced new voluntary commitments5 to halve

governments hold corporations accountable for

its use of virgin plastic by 2030. But without atheir pollution, as voluntary corporate commit-

more ambitious shift towards more reusable

ments are failing to reduce pollution. The worldcontainers, their status as a top plastic polluter iscannot continue to rely on fossil fuels, including

unlikely to change.

the significant portion of fossil fuels being turned
into plastic.

For the first time since we began conducting
global brand audits in 2018, Unilever has risen to

FMCGs need to REVEAL the full extent of their#3 Top Polluter. This is a particularly egregious

plastic footprint, REDUCE it significantly by setting

development as the company is serving as a Prin-and implementing ambitious targets, andcipal Partner for the COP26 in Glasgow6 this year.

REINVENT their packaging to be reusable andplastic-free.

PG 04

DEDICATION

We dedicate this report to the new generation of youth activists
around the world fighting for a livable planet, especially our
Break Free From Plastic Youth Ambassadors, whose leadershipdemonstrates a bold model of resistance which we believe in andsupport wholeheartedly.

May we succeed together in building aplastic-free future in your lifetimes.

PHOTO CREDIT: ENVIRONMENTAL GREEN SOCIETY, ALI MUSTOFA, 2021

Table of Contents
Executive Summary ............................... 02
Dedication & Acknowledgements ... 04 & 06
Introduction ............................... 07
CH 1: The Problem ............................... 09
CH 2: The Polluters ............................... 14
CH 3: The Possibilities ............................... 25
CH 4: The Price to Pay ............................... 29
Conclusion ............................... 36
Methodology ............................... 38
References ............................... 41

COVER:© BOY T HARJANTO / GREENPEACE & ALEX SIMPSON / UNSPLASH
GRAPHIC DESIGN:© LUCIANA CERESETO / YELLOWLULI.COM

PG 06

Acknowledgments
Our deepest gratitude goes out to everyone in
the global Break Free From Plastic movement
who participated in this year’s brand audit.
Thank you for mobilizing your communities to gather this essential
data in order to hold corporate polluters accountable. We are also
grateful for the pioneering efforts of the original groups who collaborated in 2017 to design the foundational brand audit methodology
we still use today: the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives(GAIA), Mother Earth Foundation, Citizen consumer and civic Action
Group (CAG), and Greenpeace Philippines. Thank you to our editorial team for their time and expertise in developing thiscollaborative report to represent the global Break Free From Plastic movement: Yuyun Ismawati of Nexus3 Foundation,
George Harding-Rolls of the Changing Markets Foundation, Claire Arkin of GAIA, Jen Fela of Plastic Pollution Coalition,
Nikhilesh Paliath Vinod of Green Army International, and the Break Free From Plastic communications hub and global
coordination team. A special thank you to all of the translators who have helped make this report’s key takeaways
accessible to audiences around the world. Finally, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Flotilla Foundation and
Plastic Solutions Fund for their generous financial support in making the brand audit coordination and report possible.

Introduction

PG 07

According to new research14 , top polluting consumer
goods companies like Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and PepsiCo
are enabling the fossil fuel industry’s expansion of

Plastic is a significant contributor to the climate crisis.
If plastic’s life cycle were a country, it would be the fifthlargest emitter of greenhouse gases7 in the world. Even
more concerning, left unchecked, plastic production is
expected to double within the next 20 years8.
Petrochemicals, the category of fossil fuels that are
made into plastic, now account for 14% of oil use9

plastic production. Corporate decisions to continue
producing ever more plastic packaging significantly
undermine humanity’s chances of limiting global
temperature rise to no more than 1.5°C above
pre-industrial levels, as recommended by theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)15
to avoid catastrophic climate change.

and are expected to drive half of oil demand growth
between now and 205010 . With the electric vehicle
market rapidly expanding11 and 2020 breaking records
for renewable energy12, the fossil industry is increasingly relying on plastics as its lifeline13 .

Enough is enough. We will not accept tomorrow’s sea
level rise and disappearance of coastal communities inexchange for today’s single-use plastic cutlery. We will
not accept tomorrow’s droughts, heat waves, and forest
fires in exchange for today’s disposable plastic bags.
We will not accept tomorrow’s super storms and otherextreme weather events in exchange for today’s individually wrapped consumer goods. The “convenience”
of today will cause chaos tomorrow: unless corporations
act now, young people will inherit a world in climate
turmoil fueled by short-term, profit-driven reliance onv
single-use plastics.

These single-use plastics are produced by corporations,
PHOTO CREDIT: ZERO WASTE LVIV, ANDRIANA SYVANYCH, 2021

and these corporations have a name and address. BreakPG 08

Free From Plastic’s mission with our annual global brandchange18. Structural, systemic changes are needed

audit is to identify these top polluting corporations toto radically address the interconnected crises ofhold them accountable and demand real solutions.

climate change and plastic pollution at the source.

Corporations must: reveal the specifics of their plastic

This is our reason for conducting brand audits: 69 of theuse and associated greenhouse gas emissions; signifi-

100 largest economies19 in the world are companies —

cantly reduce the quantity of plastic they produce; andnot countries. Corporate actors must lead the way to areinvent their product delivery to embrace reuse andplastic-free and climate safe future, because they haverefill systems, which have already been proven to win16.

the power, the means and resources to transform thisvision into reality.

By collecting data on plastic waste collected atcommunity cleanups around the world, brand audits
allow members and supporters of the Break Free From
Plastic movement to challenge the plastic industry’s
story, hold plastic polluting companies accountable,
and build a global movement for change. Our movement
unites over 2,300 organizations representing millions ofsupporters around the world. We campaign for systemicchange through a holistic approach that tackles plastic
pollution across the whole plastics value chain—fromextraction to disposal—focusing on prevention rather
than cure, and providing effective solutions.

Personal lifestyle changes alone will not solve theplastic or climate crises17 . A report from the International Energy Agency estimates that individual
behavioral changes would only account for about 4%of the reductions needed to avert catastrophic climate

PHOTO CREDIT: ZERO WASTE LVIV, ANDRIANA SYVANYCH, 2021

CHAPTER 01

PG 09

THE PROBLEM

Plastic Pollution is a Climate Justice Issue.
More than 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuels.

If we want to truly “turn off the tap” on plastic pollution,

As such, plastic production also exacerbates climate

we must stop corporations from producing sochange20, the defining existential crisis of our time.

much plastic in the first place, and keep fossil fuels

Greenhouse gases are emitted at every stage of thein the ground.

plastic life cycle21, significantly undermining our ability
to limit global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-indus-

The corporations behind the plastic pollution crisis aretrial levels (as recommended by the IPCC22). Despite

also contributing to the climate crisis26. Big consumer

people demanding that corporations move away fromgoods brands like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Mondelēz,

plastic, industry projections23 suggest continuing growth.

Danone, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble,

If plastic production proceeds according to industry

and Mars all buy packaging27 from manufacturers

projections, by 2050 the accumulation of greenhousesupplied with plastic resin or petrochemicals fromgas emissions fromwell-known companies like ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevronplastic could use 10-13%

Phillips, Ineos, and Dow.The carbon footprint behind thisof our entire remaining

supply chain involving the leading purveyors of throw-carbon budget24. By 2100,

away plastics (Coca-Cola, Nestlé, PepsiCo) and theirplastic’s cumulative

fossil fuel company suppliers (Aramco, Total, Exxon,

emissions would be

Shell) is often hidden but too significant to be ignored.

well over half25 of the

As the world grapples with the need to move away fromworld’s carbon budget.

fossil fuels, consumer goods companies would be
ill-advised to ignore the carbon footprint embedded intheir packaging and supply chains.

PHOTO CREDIT: END PLASTIC POLLUTION UGANDA, NIRERE SADRACH, 2021

PG 10Those most responsible for creating the twin crises ofaction to address the problem at source, these corpo-

plastic pollution and climate change need to lead inrate polluters are passing the burden to those least

solving them rather than wasting time and resources

responsible for the climate and plastic crises —in publicity stunts and illusory solutions to greenwash

especially young people, low-income communities,

their image. For example, in 2019 top plastic polluterand countries in the Global South.

Coca-Cola invested $4.24 billion for advertising andmarketing28, compared to just $11 million on a river

We have less than nine years to halve global carbon

cleanup initiative29 that same year, appearing more

emissions if we have any chance to limit catastrophic

like a PR stunt. The best way for Coca-Cola to address

climate change. The time is now for corporate polluters

its plastic footprint is by producing less of it in the firstto radically transform their business models andplace, not by cleaning it up once it is already in theembrace climate justice.

environment. Top plastic polluters like Coca-Cola would
rather spend money on greenwashing instead of rede-Climate justice is a framework for seeing the climate

signing their product packaging or system of deliveringcrisis through a human rights lens (UN Sustainable

their products to consumers. By failing to take realDevelopment Goals30).

PHOTO CREDIT: MARGINAL ART COMMUNITY OF STYROFOAM, ALAIKA RAHMATULLA, 2021

PG 11

Corporations that continue to rely on the exten-

global emissions from cracking to produce ethylene were

sive production and use of throwaway plastics inequivalent to 45 million cars36 driven for an entire year!

their business model and operations are guilty
of committing human rights transgressions andCorporations most often locate plastic production andclimate injustices at every step of the plastic

manufacturing facilities in low-income communities

lifecycle. Furthermore, the people and sectors

and communities of color37 who bear the greatest risk ofmost impacted by these offenses have the least

illnesses and health issues associated with exposure toability to enact the sweeping structural change

plastic byproduct pollutants. Turning fracked gas into

needed to solve it. Here’s how corporations’ badplastic pollutes air and water and causes serious harm todecisions burden low-income communities,

the health of frontline and fenceline communities.

people of color, Global South countries, andyouth the most:

02

01

Plastics and the toxins they carry can leach from theWhen fossil fuels are extracted and transported

bodies38. Despite the documented harm these chem-

to make plastic, this process releases significant

ical additives pose, only a miniscule portion of them aregreenhouse gases31 — approximately 108 million

currently regulated. In the United States, only 250 of themetric tons of CO2e per year32. Next, these raw mate-~80,000 chemicals registered for commercial use haverials undergo refining. Plastic refining is among the mostbeen directly tested for safety by the EPA39.

products we buy into our food, water, and ultimately ourgreenhouse gas–intensive industries33 in the manufacturing sector. In fact, the vast majority of annual

Corporations subject us to double standards, offering

plastic emissions occur at the stage of production34.

fully recyclable options for their brands in Global North

Furthermore, the fracking boom has fueled ancountries, while similar products sold in Global South

expansion35 of plastic production. In 2015 alone,countries come packaged in the lowest value packaging40 (non-recyclable, with many chemical additives)PG 12

under the guise of being “pro-poor”. This creates signifi-

Corporations have failed us by designing flawed

cant health impacts for people and communities in

products with short-sighted packaging choices that

the Global South, particularly in Southeast Asia, thatenable the rise of climate-polluting waste manage-

are being flooded with sachets and other low value

ment approaches including incineration and its modern

plastic packaging.

thermal waste-to energy variants. Corporations like
Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Unilever, and PepsiCo have partneredwith fossil fuel companies47 for decades to promote

03

plastic recycling as a panacea for the plastic problem,
despite the clear limitations of recycling. Unilever andOnce disposed of as waste, plastic is primarily landfilled

Nestlé have gone a step further, partnering with cement

or incinerated — both of which produce greenhouse gas

companies in the Philippines and other countries to use

emissions41. The shipping of low-value, often non-re-their plastic packaging as fuel feedstock for cement

cyclable plastic waste to Global South countries42 alsokilns48. While these corporations line their pockets, thegenerates tons of emissions. Incineration, however,true costs of single-use plastic packaging are exter-

is the primary driver of emissions from plastic waste

nalized, delayed, and deflected. This will most heavily

management and emits more greenhouse gases thanburden poor communities and younger generations,coal-fired power plants43. For low-income communities

particularly in the Global South, who are inheriting thein the Global South, this often takes the form of open

cumulative impacts of bad corporate decisions that willburning, with high risks to public health44. Global emis-

impact their entire adult lives.

sions from the incineration of plastic packaging—which
represents 40 percent of plastic demand—totaled 16

Corporations must be held accountable for the full

million metric tons of CO2e45 in 2015. What’s worse: theimpacts of the plastic they produce, from extraction touse of incineration in plastic waste management glob-

disposal. Focusing solely on waste management andally is projected to grow dramatically46 in the coming

recycling does nothing to address the upstream climate

decades.

impacts of plastic production, while other interventions—such as burning plastic waste in cement kilns—actively
contribute to the climate emergency . The fossil fuelPG 13industry and allied corporations even try to present

balanced by removing an equal amount from theplastics as part of the solution to climate change (e.g.

atmosphere. However, according to Corporate Account-as a carbon sink) in order to justify their investments

ability’s Not Zero report50, the world’s biggest pollutersin fracking and petrochemical expansion projects, andand governments use the “net zero” concept as a facade

using the cover of “net zero” emissions. “Net zero” refers

to evade responsibility and disguise their inaction or

to a requirement in the Paris Agreement49 for states toharmful action on climate change”. Let us be clear:“achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions“Net zero” is not zero, and plastics are a key

by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases

contributor to climate change.

in the second half of this century”; in other words, thegreenhouse gases going into the atmosphere must be

PHOTO CREDIT: THE PITT NEWS, BADER ABDULMAJEED, 2019

CHAPTER 02

PG 14

THE POLLUTERS

Corporate Plastic Polluters Are Contributing to the Climate Crisis.
For the fourth consecutive year, Break Free From Plastic changemakers
organized brand audits around the world.
The Top 10 Plastic Polluters ranking reveals the corporations polluting the most places with the most pieces ofplastic waste. Our methodology since 2018 has been

to first prioritize the total number of countries in which acompany’s branded waste was recorded, and thencompanies are ranked by the quantity of branded plas-

tic pieces. Through brand audit data, we determine

which companies are polluting the most countries

with the most plastic pollution.

PG 15FIGURE 01

The data that forms the basis of this year’s
report comes from a collaboration amongst
Break Free From Plastic members and allies
who mobilized 11,184 volunteers to conduct
440 brand audits in 45 countries.

1 in 5 brand audit events in 2021 were youthled, in large part thanks to our BFFP Youth
Ambassadors.

The brand audits recorded 330,493 pieces ofplastic waste, 58% of which was marked witha clear consumer brand. Despite having fewer
volunteers than last year, brand audit eventsin 2021 recorded nearly the same amount ofdata — 95% as much as the 346,494 pieces ofplastic waste gathered in 2020.

Our analysis of this year’s data reveals thefollowing corporations as the 2021 Top 10
Corporate Plastic Polluters: The Coca-Cola
Company, PepsiCo, Unilever, Nestlé, Procter& Gamble, Mondelēz International, Philip
Morris International, Danone, Mars, Inc., andColgate-Palmolive.

PHOTO CREDIT: GREENPEACE MEDITERRANEAN / TURKEY, GULSAH GOZEK, 2021 & RAWPIXEL.COM

PG 16
FIGURE 02

PHOTO CREDIT: MATT ARTZ / UNSPLASH & RAWPIXEL.COM

PG 17For the fourth year in a row, The Coca-Cola Company continues to dominate as
the world’s Number One Top Plastic Polluter.
As has been the case each year since 2019, brand

Many Break Free From Plastic member organizations

audits recorded more Coca-Cola branded plastic

have published national brand audit reports of their own,

waste items than the next two top polluters combined,

revealing the same top polluting companies and rein-suggesting that the company’s pledge to collectforcing the fact that Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever and theone bottle for every bottle they sell51 is having little

others are trashing communities around the world.

impact on the environmental pollution caused by theirproducts. PepsiCo’s ranking has remained steadyIn April 2021, Gwinnett Recycles published its findings afterin the top three every year since 2018. For the first time

conducting brand audits for nine months in the state of Georgia,

since we began conducting brand audits in 2018, Unilever

United States—home of Coca-Cola’s global headquarters—

has risen to #3 Top Polluter — the very same year thatand revealed PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company as its two

the company is serving as a Principal Partner for the UN

top polluters53. Nestlé and Mars were also included in its top

climate change summit COP26 in Glasgow52.

ten polluters list. In September 2021, End Plastic Pollution
Uganda’s national brand audit report54 also revealed
that its top two polluters were The Coca-Cola Company
and PepsiCo, with Unilever in its top ten. Bangladeshiorganization Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) recently published its brand audit report
as well55, similarly revealing The Coca-Cola Company as
the top polluter, with PepsiCo ranking in third and Unileveralso featured in their top ten.

PHOTO CREDIT: NATURE’S BUDDY, ABHISHEK RAWAT, 2021

PG 18It comes as no surprise that across all 2021 brand audits
globally, 10% of branded plastic waste belonged to The
Coca-Cola Company — the company that produces themost plastic, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment 2020
Progress Report56. The Coca-Cola Company topped thelist of all publicly disclosed data in the “packaging
producers and users” category with almost 3 million
metric tons of plastic packaging used in 202057.
New evidence shows us which fossil fuel companies are supplying thesefast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, allowing us to uncover whereplastic pollution really begins. A recent Greenpeace USA investigation revealed“plastic supply chain connections between every single FMCG company
researched and at least one major fossil fuel and/or petrochemical company.
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Mondelēz, Danone, Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive,
Procter & Gamble, and Mars all buy packaging from manufacturers suppliedwith plastic resin or petrochemicals by well-known companies including
ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron Phillips, Ineos, and Dow.”58

By following plastic packaging’s raw materials straight to the source, we
now know that the worst plastic polluters are propping up the fossil fuelindustry. FMCG companies like those on our top polluter list rely on fossil
fuels to conduct their business.

PG 19FIGURE 03

SOURCE

BRANDED Vol I, Break Free From Plastic (2018) | BRANDED Vol II, Break Free From Plastic (2019) | BRANDED Vol III, Break Free From Plastic (2020)

PG 20FIGURE 04

SOURCESTRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE GLOBAL CARBON FOOTPRINT OF PLASTICS, NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE (2019)
THE 5 COUNTRIES THAT PRODUCE THE MOST CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2), INVESTOPEDIA (2021)

PG 21

These corporations’reliance on pumping out
massive quantities ofsingle-use plastic
packaging also resultsin pumping out massive
amounts of CO2 emissions
into the atmosphere.

PHOTO CREDIT: RAWPIXEL.COM

In 2020, Coca-Colaproduced 2,981,421 metric59
tons (mT) of plastic.
This amounts to 14,907,105
60
mT of CO2 emissions— equivalent to 3,241,996
passenger vehicles driven
61
for one year.

PG 22
FIGURE 05

SOURCE

COCA-COLA, FORTUNE (2021)
PLASTICS: THE COSTS TO SOCIETY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECONOMY, WWF (2021)

PHOTO CREDIT: JP VALERY / UNPLASHPG 23THESE
SOCIETAL
LIFETIMECOSTS
INCLUDE:
The cost of collecting, sorting, disposing
and recycling the huge quantities ofplastic waste generated globally in 2019
alone was over US$32 billion62 — almost thesame amount that Coca-Cola raked in as
annual revenue the following year63.
But these numbers pale in comparison to thecost of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) fromThe costs of GHG emissions fromproduction and waste management
processes; costs to governments andcitizens based on taxes used to fundwaste management; costs of plastic
pollution to marine ecosystems
including effects on fisheries
and tourism, and more.

across the plastic lifecycle (over US$171
billion)64 or the societal lifetime cost of
plastic production estimated for 2040
(US$7.1 trillion)65.

Most importantly, the biggest
price tag for plastic pollution is
costing young people their future,as entire generations will pay
the ultimate price by inheriting
a world in climate chaos.

PG 24

1 IN 5 BRAND AUDITS IN 2021 WERE YOUTH-LED.

Here are some of
their stories:

12-YEAR-OLD NINA, AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST WITH ECOTON AND
RIVER WARRIOR IN EAST JAVA, INDONESIA, PULLING PLASTIC WASTE
FROM THE ROOTS OF MANGROVES.

“A YOUNG VOLUNTEER WITH LIMPANDO TRILHAS HELPS OUT AT A BRAND
AUDIT NEAR RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZILLEARN MORE ABOUT NINA HERE

PHOTO CREDIT: LIMPANDO TRILHAS, RENATO ERREJOTA, 2021

PHOTO CREDIT: ECOTON, PRIGI ARISANDI, 2021

The biggest brand audit that I participated in was“

We did a brand audit four times in different locations

conducted on the west side of Rio de Janeiro, within Indonesia. In the Malang Regency River we found amore than a hundred participants. Within a few hours,

lot of personal care products from Unilever. We also had

we collected about 1580 kg of waste from the Joatinga

an adventure in a mangrove park that was entangled

Canal and audited 3268 plastic waste items. Everyone

in single-use plastic. What was unforgettable from thisin the event was stunned about the pile of plastic trash,

brand audit activity was that we found a lot of pack-mostly made by beverage bottles and food packaging.

aging from around 1990 until early 2000 that was still

We found a bag of crisps from 1996 – it is even older thanintact, only the colors were faded. This provides clear

me! One of the organizers tried to use his own jet ski toevidence we really have to avoid single-use plastics.

support the activities, but he couldn’t. The large amount of- SOFI AZILAN AINI, AGE 21, INDONESIA

plastic pieces in the canal damaged the jet ski’s engine.
- RAFAEL EUDES, AGE 24, BRAZIL””CHAPTER 03

THE POSSIBILITIES

PG 25of the plastic industry, the societal lifetime costestimates of plastic production for 2040 could reach
US$7.1 trillion70. Corporations urgently need to commit
to ambitious changes to reduce plastic and redesign

Change Can Only Happen if
Corporations and Governments
Take Meaningful Action Now.
The solutions to the climate crisis and the plastic pollu-

their packaging — changes that must be enforced andsupported by national and international policies.

Here’s what corporate and government action
can look like:tion crisis are one and the same. Cutting fossil fuel use
is essential, and in order to do this, corporations must
reduce plastic packaging. The top plastic-polluting
companies have made voluntary commitments that they

01

Plastic-polluting corporations mustclaim will shrink their plastic footprint, but to date thesereveal their total global plastic footprint, makeare making little difference. Plastic production is set

an absolute reduction in the amount of plastic

to triple by 205066, and as 42% of all non-fiber plastic

produced, and redesign their product delivery

made so far has been used for packaging67, the bulk ofsystems for refill & reuse.

this new plastic is likely intended for use as packaging
for FMCG companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever,

REVEAL THE TOTAL GLOBAL PLASTIC FOOT-

Nestlé, and Procter & Gamble.

PRINT - INCLUDING TOTAL GHG EMISSIONSASSOCIATED WITH THEIR PLASTIC USE

Without meaningful change in their business models,
corporate polluters risk facing serious legal and finan-

To measure progress on reducing plastic, companies

cial consequences. Many FMCG companies are failing tofirst need to know how much they are making — andreport information about material risks68 to their inves-

they need to share that data publicly. Companies must

tors and other stakeholders, which could lead to legalbe transparent about the number of units of plastic

action69. And according to the current projected growth

packaging they produce, and not only report weights

PG 26(as is mostly the case

REDESIGN PRODUCT DELIVERY SYSTEMS FOR

now). Reporting plastic

REFILL & REUSE

use per item is important
to ensure that plastic

The only way to really cut plastic use is to find an alter-

reductions are not only

native method for delivering products to customers

achieved through light-

without single-use plastic. The answer is reuse! Reus-

weighting, i.e. reducing

able packaging has been around for centuries, and,the amount of plastic per

combined with modern technology, it is already being

item while still producing the same number of items.

used by many companies today. The top polluting

Moreover, the same companies must account for andcorporations need to redesign their business models

disclose the greenhouse gas emissions associatedto focus on reusable packaging that is safe, affordable

with the production, management and disposal of theirand accessible to all. * To date: Only 1.9% of plastic packaging usedplastic products and packaging. * To date: eight of this year’sor produced by top polluting corporations in 2019 was reusable, demon-

top ten worst corporate plastic polluters have disclosed their plastic pack-strating virtually zero progress from 201874.

aging volume in metric tons71 as signatories to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The Coca-Cola Company
topped the list of all publicly disclosed data in the “packaging producers andusers” category with almost 3 million metric tons of plastic packaging usedin 202072.

REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PLASTIC PRODUCEDCompanies must drastically reduce their plastic use inabsolute terms—by weight and by units—and set clear,measurable targets that are tracked publicly. * To date:
Although some corporations have made modest reductions, The Coca-Cola
Company and Mars actually increased plastic production in 202073.

02

National governments must work

together to enforce meaningful regulations onplastic polluting corporations through international climate policy.
International climate policy, such as those negotiatedat the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference(COP26), offers a critical opportunity for world leaders totake bold action on plastic, waste, and climate simultaneously. As governments begin to solidify their nation-

PG 27ally determined contributions (NDCs) in line with the→ Invest in waste reduction measures andParis Agreement, it is important to avoid misleadingzero waste systems in national climate

measures masquerading as climate solutions under theaction plans, including reuse-based alterna-framework of “net zero”. The burning of plastic waste,

tive product delivery systems. This requires

investments in unproven technologies like chemical

excluding waste-to-energy incineration fromrecycling, and continuing production of fossil fuel-

NDCs and other climate plans.

based plastics would result in massive carbon emissions and seriously undermine the world’s ability to→ Hold petrochemical and FMCG companies

limit global heating to 1.5ºC. Plastic emits greenhouseaccountable for plastic pollution and theirgases throughout its life cycle, and expanding plastic

enormous contribution to global heating, inproduction through loopholes such as carbon offsets/line with the “producer pays” principle. This

trading schemes and unproven technologies (e.g. carbon

requires stopping petrochemical expan-

capture and storage, chemical recycling, andsion, reducing plastic production, phasing

geoengineering) only serves to delay and distract

out single-use plastic and packaging acrossfrom the action needed to implement real solutions todifferent sectors, and leaving fossil fuels in

the twin crises of climate change and plastic pollution.

the ground.
→ Finance a just transition model with

INSTEAD, WE URGE GOVERNMENTS TO:

robust social protection and decent income
and benefits for workers, including waste→ Commit to real zero targets, withpickers engaged in recycling, reuse, andincreased ambition to ensure a just transi-

waste prevention. This requires excluding thetion towards a truly circular economy. This

current reliance on offsets, carbon trading,requires closing the emissions gap andcarbon removal or carbon capture andensuring global temperatures do not risestorage schemes to reach “net zero” targets.

above 1.5ºC.

PG 28It is vital that governments hold fossilof economic and reputational benefits, including

fuel companies and corporate plastic

reduction of operational complexity and compliancepolluters accountable. Break Free Fromrisk across markets.

Plastic is calling on COP26 Delegates:
Our Climate is Not Disposable!

Break Free From Plastic is calling on UNEP Member
States to agree to develop a legally binding treaty thattackles plastic pollution along the full life cycle. The

03

treaty must reduce the production and use of plastic,

Member States of the United Nations

Environment Program (UNEP) must negotiate aand ensure that plastic is free from harmful chemicals
and able to be recycled and disposed of safely.

global plastics treaty.
Plastic pollution arises from every step of the plastic
lifecycle, but existing efforts to tackle it have mainly
focused on regional and local waste management. The
United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) conducteda study of existing legislation and actions on plastic
pollution and concluded that efforts are fragmented
and inadequate. Thankfully, there is already considerable support from the international community for a
global plastics treaty. Almost 70% of UN member states
have indicated support for a treaty75, while more than
30 countries so far have co-sponsored a motion to open
talks that will be voted on in the 2022 UNEA session.
Furthermore, there is also a substantial business casefor companies to support such a treaty76, with a range

PHOTO CREDIT: END PLASTIC POLLUTION UGANDA, NIRERE SADRACH, 2021

CHAPTER 04

PG 29

THE PRICE TO PAY

Young People Are Demanding Corporate
Accountability to Reclaim Their Futures.
Children under the age of 15 make up 26% of the world’s population77 today, and they will inherit the climate crisis whichis caused in part by the world’s addiction to fossil fuel-based plastic. According to the IPCC, we have only until 2030 tocut carbon emissions by half in order to limit catastrophic climate change. Many of the top corporate plastic pollutersthat are driving these trends are evading the full costs of their industry and transferring the environmental, social, andhealth costs onto the next generation to deal with in their lifetimes.

Plastic affects the lives of young people across production, use and disposal. Youth in Global South countries will
likely be more affected than those in developed countries. This chapter spotlights what the world will look like forsome of these young people if corporations are
not held accountable and business continues asusual. Break Free From Plastic’s young leaders
come from different countries around the world,many from Global South countries. In the year
2030, they will be 25-33 years old, young adults
building a livelihood and perhaps starting families of their own. The climate impacts of plastic
throughout its life cycle threaten their ability tolead healthy, fulfilled lives.

PHOTO CREDIT: ENVIGREEN SOCIETY, MOHAMMAD ALAIKA RAHMATULLAH, 2021

Extraction and Production

PG 30

UNITED STATESThe United States produces 20% of the world’s fossil fuels78 - the biggest share globally.
If business continues as usual, petrochemicals will account for nearly half of global oil
demand growth by 205079 – thanks largely to an increase in plastic production. Climatechange will mean more extreme weather events and other forms of climate chaos. But
if corporations act now to transition toward clean energy and waste reduction, leaving
fossil fuels in the ground, younger generations could have a fighting chance to live insafe climate conditions.

“Growing up, I was used to seeing the detrimental impacts caused by the continual
extraction of fossil fuels near my home in Houston, Texas. Witnessing oil spills,
chemical leaks, and hurricanes fueled my decision to join the Break Free From Plastic
Movement. Young people across the Gulf and the world are now taking a stand against
these industries so we can create a future where our generation can thrive.”- ALEX GORDON, AGE 21
PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR FLORIDA PIRG STUDENTS AT ECKERD COLLEGE

Manufacturing

PG 31

INDIA

Plastic manufacturing has become among the most energy - and emissions - intensive
industries in the manufacturing sector80 — and the fastest growing. While scientists tellus that we need to transition away from fossil fuels, corporations like Adani Enterprises
are investing billions into manufacturing more plastic from the dirtiest of fossil fuels:
coal81. This coal-to-polyvinyl chloride (PVC, a type of plastic) project aims to ship coalfrom Australia and other countries to a manufacturing plant in India to produce two
million tons of PVC plastic per year. For a country like India already grappling withextremely high levels of air pollution82, this decision is unjustifiable. Young people
deserve clean air, instead of a world where millions of people die83 from poisoned air.

“At the current rate of plastic production, we cannot dream of a future. What we need
now is for companies to find suitable replacements and build circular systems without
plastics.”- AKHILESH ANILKUMAR, AGE 21
BFFP YOUTH AMBASSADOR FROM INDIA AFFILIATED WITH BRING BACK GREEN AND FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE

Distribution

PG 32

PHILIPPINESThe Philippines is flooded with single-use plastic. Sachets are the most concerning typeof packaging, comprising around 52% of residual plastic waste, as Filipinos dispose of~164 million sachets84 daily. Due to their small size, they clog waterways, harm wildlife and threaten tourism and fisheries that many Filipinos depend on for their livelihoods. Corporations are aggressively marketing sachets into Global South countries byclaiming they allow low-income people to buy small quantities at low prices. But thisis only because “their true costs are externalized, unaccounted for by corporations thathave profited handsomely from the sachet economy, and disproportionately paid for bysociety85”. Zero waste is the way of the future. Filipino communities have already had
impressive success going zero waste86, and have even utilized zero waste systems as aclimate mitigation strategy87.

“I feel disappointed that the leaders we elected to serve the people chose to side with
big corporations that pollute our environment when it is their duty to provide thecommunities with a healthful ecology. What’s even worse is that they don’t get to feeland experience the gravity of plastic pollution that our communities are going throughright now. I personally feel robbed of our future healthy environment just because of
their neglect in saving it.”- MARK KRYLLE PAITAN, AGE 20
BFFP YOUTH AMBASSADOR FROM THE PHILIPPINES AND PRESIDENT OF ZERO WASTE YOUTH NEGROS ORIENTAL

Point of Sale

PG 33

GHANA

In Ghana, like many countries in West Africa, many people access clean drinking waterin water sachets88. These are small sealed plastic packages that are produced anddisposed of in such large quantities that they often end up clogging drains,
breeding mosquitoes, and causing floods89. In 2021 brand audits organized by Green
Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), data from across Ghana revealed 50 different brandsof water sachets. Drinking water could be made available through the tap, or watercooler stations instead of individual single-use sachets. We know this is possible,
because GAYO already made it happen at their brand audit event this year! Now it’s thecorporations’ turn to follow their lead.

“If I could meet the CEOs of this year’s top plastic polluting companies, I would ask
them: Is it okay to prioritize profit over nature’s loss?”- BETTY OSEI BONSU, AGE 24
BFFP YOUTH AMBASSADOR FROM GHANA AND PROJECT COORDINATOR WITH GREEN AFRICA YOUTHORGANIZATION (GAYO)

Consumption

PG 34

BRAZILOne of the most concerning aspects of the plastic pollution crisis is that it affects
human bodies from the moment we are born. Babies in the womb can be exposed tomicroplastic in their mother’s placenta90. Plastic additives in daily products and packaging can contribute towards declining fertility91 due in part to endocrine-disrupting
chemicals92.

“If current trends continue, by the time I’m 53 years old in 2050, I will live in a world
with four times93 the amount of plastic that we have today. I no longer want to live ina world in which plastic causes as many harmful effects to human health and environment as it does currently. It’s time for corporations to stop promoting false solutions
and focus on the real one: immediately eliminate single-use plastic and move from athrowaway culture to a circular economy.”- RAFAEL EUDES, AGE 24
BFFP YOUTH AMBASSADOR FROM BRAZIL AFFILIATED WITH REUNI/CIRCULACTEnd of Plastic’s Life Cycle

PG 35

INDONESIAIn Indonesia, about 9 million tons of plastic waste is generated every year and only
11% is recycled94. Additionally, Indonesia imports about 800,000 metric tons95 of plastic
waste annually. This is part of a global waste trade, in which plastic trash from Global North countries are exported to Global South countries for recycling, but it can often
overwhelm the infrastructure. In Indonesia, 81% of waste is mismanaged96. As thisplastic waste piles up in landfills or incinerators, the chemical additives used inpackaging can be released into the environment. Recent studies have found plastic
chemical additives entering our food chains97, raindrops98, and even babies’ feces99!

“I hope that the industry and government will soon open their eyes, hearts and minds
to immediately stop the exploitation of fossil fuels and stop the climate crisis as well as
redesign plastic packaging.”- SOFI AZILAN AINI, AGE 21
BFFP YOUTH AMBASSADOR FROM INDONESIA AND FOUNDER OF NETWORK OF WOMAN ACTION TO SAVE THE EARTH(NOWASTE) SURABAYAConclusion

PG 36

and the upstream pollution from fossil fuel extraction,refining, and plastic production. Without meaningfulchange in their business models, corporate polluters risk

CORPORATIONS
Plastic-polluting corporations must REVEAL their total
global plastic footprints and greenhouse gas emissions,
REDUCE the amount of plastic produced by ending theirreliance on single-use packaging, and REDESIGN theirproducts and delivery systems for refill & reuse.

NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS

facing serious legal and financial consequences.

LEGAL CONSEQUENCES
Despite legal obligations in some jurisdictions todisclose material risks to investors and other stakeholders, many FMCG companies are not reporting information about these risks100. Ignoring warnings from market
specialists, rating agencies, investors and financial
institutions, corporations are instead mostly treating
plastics as a public relations problem rather than as a

National governments must work together to develop and enforce meaningful regulations. It is vital thatgovernments hold fossil fuel companies and corporate
plastic polluters accountable for their contributions to theclimate crisis. National governments must also avoid
climate-polluting false solutions to the plastic crisis, suchas incineration and chemical recycling.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Member States of the UNEP must develop a legallybinding treaty that tackles plastic pollution across thelife cycle, with a particular focus on design of products

material risk to their business101. These polluters could
mitigate risks by reducing reliance on single-use plastics,
but they are currently failing to do so. These failures could
lead to legal action102. In fact, Break Free From Plastic
members in the United States have filed three different
lawsuits in 2021 alone against The Coca-Cola Company
for public nuisance and defective product liability103, falseand deceptive advertising104, and misleading consumers
on plastic bottle recycling105.

FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES
The cost of plastic to both the environment and society

PG 37is at least 10 times higher than its market price paid by

The world’s top plastic-polluting corporations—Coca-Co-

primary plastic producers106. This generates significant

la, PepsiCo, Unilever, Nestlé, and Procter & Gamble,

costs to countries, where the financial burden is unjustly

together with the others named in this report—are theshouldered by taxpayers. The cost of GHG emissions fromleading contributors to the global plastics crisis. These

across the plastic life cycle amounts to more than US$171

fast-moving consumer goods companies are driving thebillion, in addition to US$32 billion spent to collect, sort,

fossil fuel industry’s expansion at a time when we need todispose and recycle the huge quantities of plastic waste

shift towards clean energy and circular systems.

generated in 2019 alone107. Unless urgent action is taken tostop the current projected growth of the plastic industry,

It is not enough for top polluters to make voluntary

the societal lifetime cost estimates of plastic production

commitments: national governments and internation-for 2040 could reach US$7.1 trillion108; this is equivalent toal decision makers must hold corporations accountableapproximately 85% of global spending on health in 2018

through regulations and a legally binding global plastic

and greater than the 2019 gross domestic product (GDP)treaty that recognizes plastic production and pollution asof Germany, Canada, and Australia combined.

part of the climate crisis.

PG 38

Methodology

planning logistics to data collection details. In addition,
BFFP developed a new training platform with extensive
tutorial videos, answers to frequently asked questions,

FOUNDATIONS
The foundational brand audit methodology was designed

and an option to sign up for additional support as needed. We also provided a short animated training video with
subtitles available in 16 languages.

by the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA),
Mother Earth Foundation, Citizen consumer and civic
Action Group (CAG), and Greenpeace Philippines. These
pioneering groups collaborated in 2017 to organize the firstlarge-scale brand audit on Freedom Island in the Philippines.
Our current methodology remains mostly unchanged apartfrom a few simplifications.

RECRUITMENT
Throughout 2021, Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) mobilized
people around the world to organize brand audits in their

COVID-19
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, extra steps were taken
to prioritize the health and safety of participants. Brand
audit event organizers were asked to follow a Cleanup
and Brand Audit Coronavirus Risk Assessment Guide andadhere to the safety procedures. When outdoor cleanup
and brand audit gatherings were not deemed safe due to
COVID-19, we encouraged individual outdoor brand audits.
We also presented the option for indoor brand audits athome as a last resort.

communities. During this timeframe, participants wererecruited through our BFFP social media channels, email
listservs, newsletters, and our movement members who
spread the word across their networks and communities.
All participants took part in the brand audit on a voluntarybasis.

TRAINING
BFFP provided live online training webinars forleaders to support them with everything from event

SITE SELECTION
Participants chose their preferred site for the cleanup and brand audit. Brand audit sites have ranged fromurban city streets, parks, forests, beaches, coastal areas,
and any other place where plastic pollution accumulates. Due to pandemic restrictions against large publicgatherings in some places, participants also had the optionof conducting indoor brand audits at home. This involved
designating a collection container for all the plastic

PG 39packaging they disposed of during one week and auditing

waste stream is also problematic. As a fossil fuel prod-

the total at the end of the 7th day.

uct, single-use plastic packaging causes pollution fromthe moment it is produced. Even if it does end up being

DATA RECORDING

properly collected, plastic packaging is often incinerated

Participants used the brand audit toolkit, data card, andor exported to other countries unequipped to manage it.

visual guide, available in 13 languages, to guide their datacollection process in a standardized manner. The data card

ACCESSIBILITY

required participants to document the following catego-

42 participants qualified for funds ranging from $300 tories about the plastic pollution collected:$500 USD to help cover the expenses associated with

- BRAND NAMES

hosting a brand audit event.

- ITEM DESCRIPTIONS- TYPES OF PRODUCTS

LIMITATIONS- TYPES OF MATERIALSThis report relies on self-reported data submitted by- LAYERS

diverse participants from all over the world. The datasubmitted is a sample of global plastic waste and

DATA ANALYSIS

cannot claim to be fully representative of all plastic pollu-

Participants submitted their data using one of threetion. It is possible that some brands not captured in thisstandardized digital platforms: the BFFP online form, thereport may produce even more plastic pollution than those

TrashBlitz web app, or an Excel spreadsheet. Outdoor data

listed in this report. The data reflect the plastic brands

and indoor data were analyzed together to calculate themost commonly found in Asia, Europe, and North America

top 10 global corporate polluters. From Break Free From

where BFFP has a strong presence. Taking into account the

Plastic’s perspective, all plastic is pollution - not just the

45 countries represented, the brand audit data results giveplastic litter collected outdoors.

us a good indication of the most common brands foundpolluting communities around the world.

While outdoor brand audit data tells us about plastic thathas escaped the waste stream, indoor brand audit data
as well as waste picker data reveal that plastic within the

PHOTO CREDIT: LIMPANDO TRILHAS, RAFAEL EUDES, 2021

PG 41

1 - 30

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60. Greenpeace (2021). The Climate Emergency Unpacked: How Consumer Goods Companies are Fueling Big Oil’s Plastic Expansion.
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65. Ibid.
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71. Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2020). The
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90. Ragusa, A., Svelato, A., Santacroce, C.,
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91. Swan, S. H., Collins, T., Myers, J. P., Edwards, T., & Hauser, R. (2021). Count Down:
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103. Plastic Pollution Coalition. (2021). Environmental Group Wins Key Step in Battle
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106. World Wildlife Fund. (2021). Plastics: The
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107. Ibid.
108. Ibid.

CHAPTER 2 INFOGRAPHICS

FIGURE 03- Break Free From Plastic (2018). BRANDED Vol
I: In Search of the World’s Top Corporate Plastic Polluters.
- Break Free From Plastic (2019). BRANDED Vol
II: Identifying the World’s Top Corporate Plastic Polluters.
- Break Free From Plastic (2020). BRANDED Vol
III: Demanding Corporate Accountability for
Plastic Pollution.

FIGURE 04- Zheng, J., & Suh, S. (2019). Strategies to reduce the global carbon footprint of plastics.
Nature Climate Change, 9, 374–378.
- Blokhin, A. (2021). The 5 Countries That Produce the Most Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Investopedia.

FIGURE 05- Fortune. (2021). Coca-Cola. Fortune 500.
- World Wildlife Fund. (2021). Plastics: The
Costs to Society, the Environment and theEconomy.
- Ibid.