Protesters drew a giant message in the sand on Ocean Beach in San Francisco to bring attention to Coca-Cola's contribution to the global plastic waste problem, the Center for Biological Diversity reported in September. 

What's happening?

Annually, Coca-Cola accounts for more than 134 billion throwaway plastic bottles, according to The Story of Stuff Project. Brand audit reports by Break Free from Plastic identified the company as the biggest plastic polluter on Earth six years running.

In November, the corporation walked away from its pledge to package 25% of its drinks in reusable containers by the end of the decade, right after international plastics treaty talks proved unsuccessful.

"Instead of making good on its own pledge to shift to 25% reusable bottles, Coca-Cola quietly dropped its pledge last November," said Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and ex-regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Enck continued, "Ironically, the company's pilot program in El Paso, Texas, has spent the last few years proving that refillable bottles can, in fact, replace single-use plastic ones while reducing waste, saving money, creating local jobs, and satisfying customers. Coca-Cola should ditch the empty promises and take action to swap out single-use plastic bottles with refillable glass bottles."

Enck is one of more than 58,000 people who have signed a petition calling on Coca-Cola to revive its sustainability goals and apply them across U.S. markets.

Why is Coca-Cola's plastic production concerning?

The more plastic bottles companies make, the more of their branded trash ends up in nature. 

If Coca-Cola continues producing plastic bottles, rings, and other single-use items at its current rate, it will produce 9.1 billion pounds of plastic annually by 2030, according to Oceana.

Plastic items contain harmful chemicals. When plastic degrades, tiny particles get into our bodies. Medical research has linked these exposures to cancer, reproductive problems, and obesity.

Workers and families living close to plastic factories can get sick from breathing polluted air emitted during manufacturing.

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Coca-Cola has taken some positive steps. As the Center for Biological Diversity noted, the company operates refillable bottle systems in Mexico. In Texas, programs in El Paso and San Antonio prove Americans will use reusable bottles when given the option.

What can I do to stop plastic overproduction?

Individuals concerned with plastic production can advocate for bottle deposit laws. These policies pay consumers to return containers, keeping them out of oceans and dumps.

You can buy drinks in glass or aluminum instead of plastic. These materials get recycled at much higher rates.

You can also call or email Coca-Cola and urge it to sell more drinks in refillable bottles where you live. Consider reaching out to the company on social media, too.

Join neighborhood cleanup efforts. Removing trash helps immediately while you push companies and lawmakers to stop making so much waste in the first place.

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