Five of the world’s largest oil and chemical companies—ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell, TotalEnergies, and ChevronPhillips—are facing criticism after Greenpeace revealed that their production of plastic significantly exceeds their recycling efforts. These companies are members of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), an initiative launched in 2019 aimed at combating plastic pollution. However, Greenpeace’s analysis indicates that these companies produced more than 1,000 times the amount of plastic they’ve successfully diverted from the environment.
Despite pledging to divert 15 million tons of plastic waste by 2023, the AEPW’s efforts have fallen short, with the alliance only managing to divert a fraction of that amount. Over the past five years, the five companies in question produced 132 million tons of plastic, but diverted just 118,500 tons, revealing a stark imbalance between their production and waste management efforts.
The Discrepancy Between Plastic Waste Diverted and Plastic Produced
Greenpeace’s report, which draws on data from Wood Mackenzie, focuses on two commonly used plastics—polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)—which are primarily used in packaging, bottles, and bags. According to the analysis, the AEPW’s efforts have been far outweighed by the scale of plastic production, as the five companies produced 132 million tons of new plastic over five years, while only diverting a small fraction—118,500 tons.
The waste diversion target of 15 million tons set by the AEPW has been quietly abandoned, as the alliance found it to be unrealistic. This shift in goals highlights the gap between the ambitious promises made by the alliance and the reality of their achievements.
Greenpeace Slams the AEPW for Greenwashing
Greenpeace has strongly criticized the AEPW for what it calls greenwashing—using environmental claims to cover up the lack of meaningful action. Will McCallum from Greenpeace UK criticized the alliance’s approach, likening it to “scooping up water with a teaspoon while leaving the tap running,” implying that the real solution lies in reducing plastic production itself.
Environmental activist Bill McKibben has also denounced the AEPW’s efforts, accusing the oil and gas industry of deceiving the public by pretending to take steps toward sustainability while continuing to prioritize plastic production.
AEPW Defends Its Initiatives Amid Rising Criticism
In response to Greenpeace’s accusations, a spokesperson for the AEPW defended its efforts, claiming that the alliance’s focus is on driving innovation and developing scalable solutions to reduce plastic waste. However, the alliance has also been criticized for its lobbying activities, particularly regarding the UN’s ongoing negotiations for a global treaty to address plastic pollution.
The AEPW has lobbied against proposals to limit global plastic production, a move supported by many environmental groups and governments. The UK, for example, has advocated for including production reduction targets in the upcoming global plastic treaty, a stance that has recently been echoed by the US under President Biden. As the treaty talks near their conclusion, it remains to be seen how the AEPW’s position will impact the negotiations.
Experts Agree: Reducing Plastic Production Is Key
Environmental experts, including Professor Steve Fletcher of the University of Portsmouth’s Revolution Plastics Institute, agree that tackling the root cause of plastic pollution—excessive plastic production—is crucial. Without addressing the production of new plastic, efforts to recycle and manage waste will have minimal impact on the overall plastic crisis.
The AEPW was originally created by the American Chemistry Council, which represents chemical manufacturers, partly in response to calls for stricter plastic bans. The alliance has since focused on promoting chemical recycling and other long-term solutions, but critics argue that this approach neglects the critical issue of plastic overproduction.
Plastic Production Continues to Surge Globally
Global plastic production is on the rise, with production more than doubling between 2000 and 2019. In 2019, the world produced 460 million tons of plastic, yet only 9% of that was recycled, according to an OECD report. While initiatives like the AEPW aim to address plastic waste, the rapid increase in plastic production suggests that current strategies are inadequate without addressing production levels at their source.
The AEPW promotes a circular economy and recycling efforts, but experts warn that without reducing the creation of new plastic, these measures will not be enough to stem the growing tide of plastic waste.
Will the Industry Shift Focus?
As UN negotiations for a global plastic treaty draw to a close, the debate continues over whether capping plastic production is necessary to address the crisis. The AEPW and its supporters argue that such caps are unnecessary, while many governments and environmental groups insist that they are essential for reducing plastic pollution.
The outcome of these negotiations will likely shape the future of plastic production and waste management worldwide. The key question remains whether the plastic industry will begin to prioritize reducing production or continue focusing on recycling as a long-term solution.
What do you think is the best solution to combat the growing plastic pollution crisis? Should the focus be on limiting production, or improving recycling efforts? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
