A new investigation has revealed that several major consumer brands, including Coca-Cola, are connected to plastic production processes that rely on controversial fracking operations.
Euronews reports that environmental organisation Stand.earth research shows that over 25 well-known consumer brands have supply chain links to fracking operations in Texas’s Permian Basin, one of the world’s largest contributors to carbon emissions.
The investigation found that ethane, a byproduct of the fracking process, is being shipped overseas specifically for plastic production that supplies companies like Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nestlé, and Procter & Gamble—the parent company behind household brands such as Gillette, Olay, and Always.
“From toxic extraction in the Permian Basin to poisonous production along the Houston Ship Channel, the cost is irreversible damage to our children’s health—low birth weights and reproductive and developmental harm—spanning generations,” said Yvette Arellano, founder and executive director of Houston grassroots environmental justice organisation Fenceline Watch.
Fracking, which involves breaking apart shale rock using high-pressure mixtures of water, sand, and chemicals to extract natural gas and oil, has been linked to numerous environmental concerns. The process can trigger small earthquakes and contaminate local water supplies, with some residents near the Permian Basin reporting they can light their tap water on fire due to gas contamination.
While fracking provides access to abundant energy resources, critics argue that its environmental costs are too high. The practice damages local ecosystems and perpetuates reliance on fossil fuels, slowing the transition to renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
The plastic production supported by fracking creates additional environmental challenges. The United Nations Environment Programme reports that 19 to 23 million tonnes of plastic enter aquatic ecosystems annually, contaminating water supplies and threatening marine habitats. A study published in Science Advances found that Coca-Cola alone is responsible for more than half of global plastic pollution.
Despite Coca-Cola’s involvement in environmental initiatives such as “World Without Waste,” which promises to make all packaging recyclable, critics say these efforts fall short.
“Brands often forget their primary business is not packaging; it’s really bringing products to people,” said Delphine Levi Alvares, global petrochemicals campaign manager at the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL). She explained that using fossil fuel-based plastics is a choice, not a necessity, when alternatives like recycled plastics, bio-based materials, and refillable packaging exist.
Environmental advocates stress that until major companies commit to significantly reducing plastic use, fracking will remain profitable. They urge consumers to be wary of greenwashing—when corporations promote environmentally friendly practices without meaningful action—and to support companies demonstrating a genuine commitment to sustainable packaging solutions.
See original article here
Follow the AkweyaTV channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va7m7dvJuyA7h5XMc22i
