New data from environmental nonprofit CDP found that thousands of companies aren't taking the necessary steps to limit plastic pollution in their value chains. 

An April 9 statement from CDP, which runs a global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impact, found that while almost half (42%) of companies took the vital first step of mapping where plastics were produced and used within their value chains in 2023, there remain "significant gaps in corporate understanding and action."

Only 21% of the nearly 3,000 companies worldwide that provided data were cognizant of the risks linked to their plastic-related activities. Further, 64% of those surveyed said they have not set targets for managing their plastic-related impacts. CDP warns that those companies "are very likely to face tangible risks as a result, including supply chain disruptions, waste management fees, and regulatory risks." 

“Companies must acknowledge the evidence: no industry is immune to the massive risks associated with plastic pollution," CDP's head of sustainable business Nathan Cole said. 

The report highlights those various risks, including the steep financial cost companies could face if governments require them to cover waste management costs, as well as the human health issues posed by plastic pollution. 

This comes on the heels of an April 4 report from conservation group Oceana, which calculated that Amazon created nearly 208 million pounds of plastic packaging in the U.S. in 2022. On March 21, the World Wildlife Foundation also found that 85% of 1,000 Americans surveyed think plastic waste pollution is "a serious and concerning problem that requires immediate political action to solve."