This report examines each of the stages of the plastic lifecycle to identify the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, sources of uncounted emissions, and uncertainties that likely lead to underestimation of plastic’s climate impacts.

Lead Organization: Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), Fractracker Alliance, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), 5 Gyres

Author: Lisa Anne Hamilton, Steven Feit, Carroll Muffett, Matt Kelso, Samantha Malone Rubright, Courtney Bernhardt, Eric Schaeffer, Doun Moon, Jeffrey Morris, Rachel Labbé-Bellas

Published on: May 2019

This study is an endeavour to understand the contribution of plastic packaging to the marine litter crisis. Waste and brand audits were conducted in 250 sites across 15 cities in 18 Indian states in 21 days in May 2018. Participating groups conducted the audits in different sites such as public parks, water bodies, and resource recovery centres.

Lead Organization: Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Citizen Consumer and Civic Action group (CAG)

Author: Satyarupa Shekhar,Dharmesh Shah

Published on: June 2018

Guide for national decision makers to implement the single use directive entered into force on 2 July 2019. It aims to tackle pollution from single-use plastics (and fishing gear), as the items most commonly found on European beaches.

Lead Organization: ReThink Plastic

Author: ReThink Plastic

Published on: October 2019

Oceana analyzed the packaging market data for the nonalcoholic beverages industry, the market share of PET bottles, and plastic marine pollution data in 76 coastal countries around the world to estimate the total amount of PET plastic bottle marine pollution and the potential of increasing the market share of refillable bottles to reduce marine pollution from PET bottles.

Lead Organization: Oceana

Author: Anne Schroeer,Matt Littlejohn,Henning Wilts

Published on: January 2020

By combining hard data, citizen science, and community organizing, brand audits have become a powerful tool for recording and tracking down the companies responsible for polluting the planet with plastic. Participants catalogued almost 8,000 brands for this year’s global audit. This report reveals the Top 10 Global Polluters of 2019.

Lead Organization: Break Free From Plastic Members

Author: Sybil Bullock

Published on: October 2019

This report describes the environmental destruction, sickness, mortality, and damage to livelihoods that the plastic pollution crisis is causing. It outlines the problem – namely- the huge recent increase in the production and distribution of single-use plastics, and its expansion across the globe to countries lacking the capacity to collect, manage and recycle waste. And it spells out the solutions.

Lead Organization: Tearfund, Fauna & Flora International (FFI), WasteAid and The Institute of Development Studies (IDS)

Author: Mari Williams, Rich Gower, Joanne Green

Published on: May 2019