"Coca-Cola also makes a lot of plastic packaging: about 3.5 million metric tons of it per year, almost entirely out of fossil fuels.…
"For six years running, Coca-Cola has been named the “top global plastic polluter,” based on beach cleanups coordinated by the nonprofit Break Free From Plastic."
It seems to me the solution to this is a no-brainer, that is to put a tax on plastics that are either not recycled or are not properly or adequately recycled. We tax other things because they cause harm, for example the excise tax on alcohol/spirits and cigarettes.
A further tax could be levied on companies that do not have what's deemed to be adequate recycling facilities available. A company would need to be certified as having an adequate recycling ability and be seen applying it or be taxed at a higher rate. This would seem preferable to levying fines on a company which would involve governments in a lot of administrative/legal work and drag out 'fixes' as legal cases drag on for years. Companies would soon comply as they would be at an economic disadvantage compared to those who did.
Further to taxes, add realistic return deposit schemes on plastic bottles, and where such schemes exist increase deposits until they are effective. Same goes for taxes, just increase them until they're effective/companies comply to the letter.
If people/governments are truly concerned with limiting plastic pollution and are intent on fixing the problem then it could be easily done in short order.
"For six years running, Coca-Cola has been named the “top global plastic polluter,” based on beach cleanups coordinated by the nonprofit Break Free From Plastic."
It seems to me the solution to this is a no-brainer, that is to put a tax on plastics that are either not recycled or are not properly or adequately recycled. We tax other things because they cause harm, for example the excise tax on alcohol/spirits and cigarettes.
A further tax could be levied on companies that do not have what's deemed to be adequate recycling facilities available. A company would need to be certified as having an adequate recycling ability and be seen applying it or be taxed at a higher rate. This would seem preferable to levying fines on a company which would involve governments in a lot of administrative/legal work and drag out 'fixes' as legal cases drag on for years. Companies would soon comply as they would be at an economic disadvantage compared to those who did.
Further to taxes, add realistic return deposit schemes on plastic bottles, and where such schemes exist increase deposits until they are effective. Same goes for taxes, just increase them until they're effective/companies comply to the letter.
If people/governments are truly concerned with limiting plastic pollution and are intent on fixing the problem then it could be easily done in short order.