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Ending Single-Use Plastics
How you can help save the oceans from plastic pollution
Join Oceana to end the plastics problem and save the oceans
Since you’ve been
on this webpage
62087
pounds of plastics
have entered the ocean
The Problem
The oceans face a massive and growing threat from something you encounter everyday: plastics. An estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic leaks into the marine environment from land-based sources every year—this is roughly equivalent to dumping two garbage trucks full of plastic into the oceans every minute.
As plastics continue to flood into our oceans, the list of marine species affected by plastic debris expands. Tens of thousands of individual marine organisms have been observed suffering from entanglement or ingestion of plastics permeating the marine environment—from zooplankton and fish, to sea turtles, marine mammals and seabirds.
Plastics never go away. Instead, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces, which act as magnets for harmful pollutants. When eaten by fish, some of those chemical-laden microplastics can work their way up the food chain and into the fish we eat.
Plastics in our oceans threaten the viability of critical marine ecosystems, but marine plastic pollution is not just a problem for our oceans. The extent to which we, too, are being affected by the plastics that have become so ubiquitous in our environment—in our food, water and air—is a topic of extensive research.
Unfortunately, one of the most popular solutions to plastic pollution falls far short. A meager 9% of all plastic waste generated has been recycled. Recycling alone is not enough to solve the plastics crisis. To have an impact, we must reduce the amount of single-use plastic being produced at the source.
Oceana campaigns to do just that in strategic coastal countries that produce for more than 30% of the world’s plastic waste.
Solution
Solving the plastics problem in our oceans will ultimately take concerted action from companies, governments and advocates like you.
Companies
From multinational corporations to local restaurants – companies need to adopt alternatives to single-use plastics.
Government
At all levels, governments need to enact smart legislation and regulations that limit or eliminate single-use plastics and ensure they don’t end up in our oceans.
Consumers
Consumers have the most important role of all. Make your voice heard, and lead by example.
Oceana campaigns in eight countries and the European Union to achieve meaningful reductions in ocean plastic pollution by reducing the production and use of throwaway plastics.
Countries
Updates
Oceana Launches #RefillAgain Campaign
April 14, 2022
Oceana today revealed the reason for the launch of the single-use jeans brand S1NGLES. Developed pro bono for Oceana by the award winning creative agency the community and launched with the support of celebrity Heidi Montag, the campaign brings to life the absurdity of single-use and why we should “refill again” in place of single-use […]
Refillable soda bottles used to be the norm. Can they come back?
Fast Company, February 17, 2022
Coca-Cola Pledges to Reduce Single-Use Bottles, Increase Refillables
February 11, 2022
In a victory that could dramatically reduce ocean plastic pollution, The Coca-Cola Company committed to sell 25% of its products in reusable packaging by 2030 – up from an estimated current share of 16%. Refillable bottles are the primary form of reusable packaging that Coca-Cola uses, and they can be refilled and resold 30 to […]
Oceana: Coca-Cola Pledges to Increase Refillable Bottles, but Commitment Lacks Transparency
February 10, 2022
The Coca-Cola Company today announced a new goal to reach 25% reusable packaging by 2030. The announcement was made during the company’s Fourth Quarter 2021 Earnings Call and supports its World Without Waste environmental program. Absent from the announcement were details on exactly what the 25% target represents and metrics indicating how this may contribute […]
Amazon’s plastic waste soars by a third during pandemic, Oceana report finds
The Guardian, December 15, 2021
Victories
California Laws Reduce Single-Use Plastic Waste
October 5, 2021
California enacted two new laws to curb harmful single-use plastics, which pollute our oceans and harm marine life. One of the new laws opens the door to refillable glass beverage bottles by removing requirements that prevented bottles from being preserved and refilled by beverage producers. This change will create new jobs while also reducing waste. […]
Delaware Protects Marine Life, Coast from Balloon Pollution
September 17, 2021
Following campaigning by Oceana and coalition partners, Delaware enacted a new law prohibiting intentional balloon releases statewide. Balloons released into the air can enter the oceans where they can harm and choke marine life. Delaware joins Maryland and Virginia in banning balloon releases, which will help protect marine life in the region and the roughly […]
Brazil’s Leading Food Delivery Service, iFood, Commits to Deliver Plastic-Free Meals by 2025
August 2, 2021
Brazil’s largest home food delivery service, iFood, publicly committed to deliver 80% of orders free from plastic cutlery, plates, cups, napkins, and straws by 2025, following a campaign co-led by Oceana and the United Nations Environment Program’s Clean Seas Campaign. They will also set public reduction targets by 2023 for additional categories of plastics in […]
Chile Protects Oceans from Single-Use Plastics, Mandates Refillable Bottle
May 23, 2021
The Chilean government unanimously passed an ambitious law reducing single-use plastic pollution from the food and beverage industries, following campaigning by Oceana.
Washington State Bans Polystyrene Foam, Limits Ocean-Polluting Single-Use Plastic at Restaurants
May 17, 2021
U.S. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill into law that limits the use of unnecessary single-use plastic across the state, following campaigning by Oceana and our allies in the Pacific Northwest. The new law bans the manufacture, sale, and distribution of certain expanded polystyrene foam products, including foodware, packing peanuts, and foam coolers. It […]
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Just ask manufacturers of plastic containers to pay recycling levies on each type of products and the problem will be solved overnight.
The problem is law makers have been corrupted by those manufacturers and they have been immobilized.
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I agree, they probably would turn around and have the the customer pay the extra cost, but they could give a refund for returning to a recycling center, It might help stop people from using so much plastic.
LikeLiked by 2 people