Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BURNING INJUSTICE
Poor countries forced to incinerate tonnes of plastic made by big four
FOUR of the world’s biggest consumer brands are responsible for half a million tonnes of plastic burnt or dumped in six developing countries, a report reveals.
Coca-cola, Nestle, Pepsico and Unilever sell products in single-use packages in poor parts of the world knowing they cannot be recycled, according to international development charity Tearfund.
It warns the burn-offs create 4.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gas CO2, the same emissions from two million vehicles a year.
Between 400,000 and one million people die from illness and disease caused by mismanaged plastic and waste, it adds.
It says Coca-cola was the worst company, with 200,000 tonnes of plastic pollution, around 33 football pitches, burnt or dumped a year in China, India, the Philippines, Brazil, Mexico and Nigeria. Pepsico follows, with a plastic pollution footprint of 137,000 tonnes per year, or 22 pitches, buried or burnt. Tearfund’s Dr Ruth Valerio said:
“These companies have a moral responsibility for the disposal of the products they pump into developing countries without waste management systems.”
A Coca-cola spokesman said: “We want all our plastic waste recovered and recycled. We recognise we have a responsibility to help solve the situation.”
A Pepsico spokesman said: “Changing the way society makes, uses, and disposes of packaging is important. We want to help build a system where packaging never becomes waste.”
Nestle said: “We have set ourselves the commitment to make 100% of our packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.”
A spokesman for Unilever said: “Our plastic is our responsibility. We’ve committed to reduce our total use by more than 100,000 tonnes.”