A new study suggests that a small number of companies is behind the majority of the world’s single-use plastic.
The analysis, conducted by Australian nonprofit Minderoo, said just 20 companies account for 55% of those plastics.
And the top two companies on the list are American: oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil and chemical producer Dow.
Single-use plastics, such as food containers, plastic bags and packaging materials, are a frequent target of environmentalists.
They require carbon-intensive petrochemicals to make, and they linger in landfills and waterways long after they’re discarded.
And the problem is likely to grow: plastics manufacturing capacity could grow by more than 30% worldwide in coming years.
ExxonMobil responded that it shares the concern about plastic waste and is working on developing a more recyclable plastic.
