plastic pollution

With studies showing that 90% of seabirds have ingested plastic, scientists and campaigners aboard the vessel will explore the front line of plastic pollution, from gannets and razorbills on the Bass Rock, to basking sharks in the Hebrides and seabird colonies on the Shiant Isles.

Despite plastic bottles forming a major source of ocean plastic pollution, Coca-Cola failed to disclose key information for Greenpeace’s survey of the top six global soft drinks companies released last month, while all of its competitors did.

Despite plastic bottles forming a major source of ocean plastic pollution, the survey results reveal a woeful lack of action by the soft drinks industry to prevent their plastic bottles ending up in our oceans. 

“The results are jaw-dropping,” said Louise Edge, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK. “It’s clear that if we’re going to protect our oceans we need to end the age of throwaway plastic. These companies need to take drastic action now.”

Key findings:

Campaigners from the Microbeads Coalition said it was ‘make or break time for the microbeads ban’, as businesses including health and beauty brand Neal’s Yard Remedies, NCH Europe, which produces industrial cleaning products, and Anglian Water, who are leading the national campaign on unflushables, called on the Government to implement a complete ban on microplastic ingredients.

‘Following Greenpeace’s investigation into Coca-Cola’s lobbying against bottle deposit schemes, we welcome this change of heart. Deposit schemes, which have growing support amongst the public, politicians and industry, can play a key role in reducing the amount of plastic which ends up in our oceans and in landfill. But with up to 12 million tonnes of plastic entering the sea every year, the bigger challenge which companies need to step up to, especially leading brands like Coke, is drastically reducing their plastic footprint.

We are very pleased to welcome the launch of this consultation, and we look forward to working with the Government to ensure that these tiny harmful plastics no longer reach our oceans.

However, it must cover all microplastics as marine life doesn’t distinguish between plastic from a face wash and plastic from a washing detergent, so the microbeads ban must cover all plastics in all household and industrial products that can go down our drains.