Washington, D.C. (December 4, 2024)—As Global Plastics Treaty negotiations broke down in Korea this week, The Coca-Cola Company announced it is abandoning a commitment made in February 2022 to offer 25% of its beverage volume globally in reusable packaging by 2030. Coca-Cola produces over 130 billion plastic bottles annually, and its use of plastic continues to increase, reaching over 3.4 million metric tons in 2023. The company has been ranked as the world’s worst plastic polluter for six years straight. Since joining voluntary initiatives and alliances such as the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, the Global Commitment, and the U.S. Plastics Pact, Coca-Cola’s reliance on single-use plastic bottles has increased.
In response to Coca-Cola’s announcement, Greenpeace USA Oceans Campaign Director John Hocevar said: “Coke’s abandonment of its reuse commitment is a disaster for the planet. Coke churns out more plastic bottles every year, and is single-handedly responsible for 11% of the plastic debris polluting the environment worldwide. Coke is a huge part of our plastic pollution crisis but has just been paying lip service when it comes to real solutions. The company has repeatedly announced new goals to much fanfare, followed by quiet admissions that goals are being reduced or unceremoniously dropped.
The disconnect between Coke’s words and the company’s actions is a stark reminder of the need for governments to hold corporations accountable. Voluntary commitments are not protecting our health or our environment. If we leave it to companies like Coca-Cola, we will all be choking on plastic waste. We need governments to act at the state, national, and international levels to ban single-use plastic packaging and reduce plastic production.”
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Contact: Tanya Brooks, Senior Communications Specialist at Greenpeace USA
(+1) 703-342-9226, tbrooks@greenpeace.org
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.