That is enough plastic to fill the stomachs of 18m whales. The report arrives amid mounting concerns over the human health risks posed by the spread of microplastics, which scientists increasingly link to cancer, infertility and heart disease. “Coca-Cola is by far the largest manufacturer and seller of beverages in the world,” said Matt Littlejohn, who leads Oceana’s campaigns targeting corporate polluters. “Because of that, they really matter when it comes to the impact of all this on the ocean.” Coca-Cola ranks as the world’s top branded plastic polluter, followed by PepsiCo, Nestlé, Danone and Altria, according to a 2024 study published in Science Advances. “Because of that, they really matter when it comes to the impact of all this on the ocean.” Coca-Cola ranks as the world’s top branded plastic polluter, followed by PepsiCo, Nestlé, Danone and Altria, according to a 2024 study published in Science Advances. Oceana’s estimate is based on Coca-Cola’s publicly reported packaging data from 2018 to 2023, combined with sales growth forecasts to create a “business-as-usual” scenario. 

The result: the company’s plastic use is projected to exceed 4.13m tons annually by 2030. To estimate how much of that plastic will reach aquatic ecosystems, researchers applied a peer-reviewed method developed by an international team of scientists and published in the academic journal Science in 2020 to arrive at the 602m kg estimate, which is equivalent to nearly 220bn half-litre bottles. For Oceana, the clearest solution to reduce this staggering figure lies in bringing back reusable packaging – whether in the form of returnable glass bottles, which can be reused 50 times, or thicker PET plastic containers, which are designed for 25 uses......read on    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/mar/27/coca-cola-plastic-waste-in-oceans-expected-to-reach-602m-kilograms-a-year-by-2030

Plastic planet: How tiny plastic particles are polluting our soil. UNEP 21 Dec 2021The millions of tons of plastic swirling around the world’s oceans have garnered a lot of media attention recently. But plastic pollution arguably poses a bigger threat to the plants and animals – including humans – who are based on land. Very little of the plastic we discard every day is recycled or incinerated in waste-to-energy facilities. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it may take up to 1,000 years to degrade, leaching potentially toxic substances into the soil and water.

Researchers in Germany are warning that the impact of microplastics in soils, sediments and freshwater could have a long-term negative effect on such ecosystems. They say terrestrial microplastic pollution is much higher than marine microplastic pollution – estimated at four to 23 times higher, depending on the environment. The researchers conclude that, although little research has been carried out in this area, the results to date are concerning: fragments of plastic are present practically all over the world and can trigger many kinds of adverse effects. The study estimates that one third of all plastic waste ends up in soils or freshwater. Most of this plastic disintegrates into particles smaller than five millimetres, known as microplastics, and these break down further into nanoparticles (less than 0.1 micrometre in size). The problem is that these particles are entering the food chain.

Sewage.....Sewage is an important factor in the distribution of microplastics. In fact, between 80 per cent and 90 per cent of the plastic particles contained in sewage, such as from garment fibres, persist in the sludge, says the study. Sewage sludge is often applied to fields as fertilizer, meaning that several thousand tons of microplastics end up in our soils each year. Microplastics can even be found in tap water. Moreover, the surfaces of tiny fragments of plastic may carry disease-causing organisms and act as a vector for diseases in the environment. Microplastics can also interact with soil fauna, affecting their health and soil functions. “Earthworms, for example, make their burrows differently when microplastics are present in the soil, affecting the earthworm's fitness and the soil condition,” says an article in Science Daily about the research.

 Toxic effects...... In 2020, the first-ever field study to explore how the presence of microplastics can affect soil fauna was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. The paper notes that terrestrial microplastic pollution has led to the decrease of species that live below the surface, such as mites, larvae and other tiny creatures that maintain the fertility of the land. Chlorinated plastic can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can then seep into groundwater or other surrounding water sources, and also the ecosystem. This can cause a range of potentially harmful effects on the species that drink the water.Generally speaking, when plastic particles break down, they gain new physical and chemical properties, increasing the risk that they will have a toxic effect on organisms. And the larger the number of potentially affected species and ecological functions, the more likely it is that toxic effects will occur. Chemical effects are especially problematic at the degradation stage. Additives such as phthalates and Bisphenol A (widely known as BPA) leach out of plastic particles. These additives are known for their hormonal effects and can disrupt the hormone system of vertebrates and invertebrates alike. In addition, nano-sized particles may cause inflammation, traverse cellular barriers, and even cross highly selective membranes such as the blood-brain barrier or the placenta. Within the cell, they can trigger changes in gene expression and biochemical reactions, among other things. The long-term effects of these changes have not yet been sufficiently explored. “However, it has already been shown that when passing the blood-brain barrier nanoplastics have a behaviour-changing effect in fish,” according to the Leibnitz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries.

How do microplastics get into our water?.......One of the main sources is our clothing. Minuscule fibres of acrylic, nylon, spandex, and polyester are shed each time we wash our clothes and are carried off to wastewater treatment plants or discharged to the open environment. According to a recent study cited by Water World in 2016, more than 700,000 microscopic plastic fibres could be released into the environment during each cycle of a washing machine. This has not yet been studied in the case of handwashing, which is more common in developing countries, but the effects could be significant there as well......read on  https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/plastic-planet-how-tiny-plastic-particles-are-polluting-our-soil   

Preventing Plastic Waste for entering our Oceans-  Plastic Collective and SEArcular by Greencore Indonesia

Plastic Collective Amelia Wilding | Feb 21, 2025 Tackling the Plastic Crisis in Indonesia. Indonesia is the third largest contributor to marine plastic pollution globally with high rates of plastic leakage into the environment from both collected and uncollected waste. Plastic waste in Indonesia is commonly burned, left in dumpsites, or taken to landfill sites operating beyond capacity, this mismanagement has negative health consequences for large swathes of the Indonesian population.  There was also a widespread lack of incentives for coastal communities to collect the ocean bound plastic polluting their neighbourhoods (flexible plastics in particular), creating an urgent need for   empowerment-focused project. The SEArcular by Greencore project was also selected for inclusion in the first ever Plastic Waste Reduction-linked Bond issued by the World Bank in partnership with Plastic Collective and Citibank in January 2024. Recognising this urgent need, Plastic Collective has partnered with SEArcular by Greencore to triple the scale of its impact through certification and funding, enabling the project to expand and attract further investment from global brands. Together, in Java, we are empowering local waste pickers, reducing plastic leakage into the ocean, and fostering a circular economy, where plastic is not waste, but a valuable resource. Greencore is doing the critical work on the ground, collecting and recycling plastic waste, while Plastic Collective provides the certification framework that verifies its impact, making it possible for companies to support this initiative. SEArcular by Greencore’s proven success in waste collection and recycling led to its certification, demonstrating integrity that attracted further impact investment from brands. This growth has allowed the project to expand capacity threefold, strengthening its ability to address Indonesia’s plastic pollution crisis. 

The SEArcular by Greencore Project: A Sustainable Solution.....The SEArcular by Greencore Indonesia Collection and Recycling Project collects, sorts, and recycles difficult to recycle plastic materials before they can enter the ocean. Established in Surabaya, Indonesia in 2019, the project has built a network of waste pickers and local aggregators, providing essential training, fair wages, and safe working conditions. Plastic Collective is proud to announce the registration of SEArcular by Greencore under the Verra’s Plastic Waste Reduction Standard. Plastic Collective acts as an advisory partner to this exemplar project which is leading the charge to address the plastic pollution crisis in Indonesia.

Here, we evaluate a global dataset with all available historical data to provide an estimate of the temporal tendencies of plastic concentrations in the global OSL. We also offer a historic overview of international policy measures to reduce plastic inputs; based on that evaluation we call for urgent and effective solutions.....read the study and report    https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0281596