Plastics

To address the plastic pollution crisis at the scope and scale necessary, we need to target the root of the issue: a broken system. Achieving broader goals will require advancing smart plastic policy that drives holistic system change and enables the frameworks for success. WWF is advocating for government action at every level to address plastic pollution:

Executive action: WWF is calling for federal agencies to use all existing authorities to reduce plastic waste and in 2024, led a letter from a coalition of non-governmental organizations to President Biden calling on him to take executive action to advance a whole-of-government approach to the problem.

Congressional action: WWF is advocating for bipartisan legislative solutions and increased federal funding to address plastic pollution, including for reduced reliance on single-use plastics as well as Extended Producer Responsibility measures to ensure that companies creating plastic waste are responsible for reducing their plastic footprint.

State-level action: WWF is engaging in priority states to help advance legislation that would reduce plastic waste and supporting strong implementation of existing laws that were passed in Colorado and California.

Global action: WWF is advocating for the negotiation of a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution that is bold, ambitious, and effective. Such a treaty must embed specific and unambiguous rules at every point in the plastic life-cycle, as well as target all high-risk plastic products, like single-use plastic, lost or discarded fishing gear (known as “ghost gear”), and microplastics. Throughout the treaty’s negotiation process, which is now set to conclude in 2025, WWF will be on the ground for the major treaty milestones and rally other partners and collaborators around our calls for a lasting solution.

A major threat to marine biodiversity, abandoned fishing gear, or ghost gear, is estimated to comprise up to 10% of plastic waste in our oceans, by volume. While this may seem like a small number, ghost gear is the most harmful form of plastic pollution to marine species. Ghost gear continues to capture wildlife well after it’s abandoned, pollute habitats, and enters the food web as it degrades. Ghost gear impacts 45% of all marine mammals on the Red List of Threatened Species.

Major companies support collaborative efforts to address plastic pollution. These industry leaders are also calling for federal government action to enact policies that incentivize good behavior and level the playing field for companies that want to do more to address this problem. 

Large-scale corporate action is a necessary lever for change, and WWF is tapping into this potential by helping the world’s biggest companies make impact within and beyond their supply chains.

WWF’s flagship program, ReSource: Plastic, is helping companies translate their large-scale commitments into meaningful, measurable impact through an innovative framework that brings transparency and collaboration to the forefront of corporate action.

Through Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA), we are advancing thought leadership on responsibly sourced bio-based plastic, so companies are equipped with the best science and sourcing practices as they shift to sustainable inputs for their new plastic needs.

We are mobilizing companies to support the policy solutions that will unlock circularity on the global stage through the Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, and in the US with OneSource Coalition.

WWF has also compiled years of work with companies into a step-by-step guide for others to align with the ambition to get started on a journey toward circularity. The Blueprint for Credible Action on Plastic Pollution is a helpful tool both for companies initiating a new plastic strategy and those seeking to maintain leadership or expand existing strategies and plans. Companies with strategic plans in place to address plastic pollution can use the Blueprint to identify gaps in existing programs and pinpoint opportunities for expansion and collaboration.

Learn more about opportunities for corporate engagement.

An overwhelming majority of US consumers—85% of the American public—think that plastic waste pollution is a serious and concerning problem that requires immediate political action to solve. Individually, we can't solve this problem, but we can all contribute in ways to help build a world without plastic pollution in nature. We need strong policies to keep producers of plastic accountable, and at the same time, there are daily steps we can take within our own lives to help, including advocating for change.

At WWF, we are engaging with supporters across the US to advocate for global and domestic improvements in infrastructure, as well as, holding producers responsible for sourcing non-virgin plastic materials.