A new study has revealed just 56 companies are responsible for more than half of the world's branded plastic pollution.
The study was published on Wednesday in the journal Science Advances and highlighted the major brands responsible for the majority of plastic pollution.
The research involved a team of over 100,000 volunteers cataloguing more than 1.8 million bits of plastic waste. It found 56 companies were responsible for more than 50 percent of branded plastic waste.
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé and Danone were some of the biggest contributors.
Aotearoa Plastic Pollution Alliance Chair Liam Prince told AM on Friday the study reveals the enormity of the plastic pollution problem.
"It's shocking the amount of material we are finding out there in the environment. But to be honest, it's not really a big surprise," Prince told AM.
"These same companies are mentioned year after year in various audits and surveys and it's just an enormous amount of plastic in the environment."
He added it's the "tip of the iceberg" given how much damage plastic does when it is produced, let alone in the environment.
"Plastic pollution includes the stuff we can't see. The invisible stuff like the emission from producing plastics, like the trillions and trillions of microplastics that are all around us and also the chemicals that are used in producing plastic that a lot of them are quite harmful to human health let alone the environment. So the problem is massive," he said.
Prince added the problem is mentioned year after year and big companies highlighting their recycling efforts isn't enough.
"I think the kinds of strategies these companies are using like more recycling and more recycled content... It's a little bit like mopping the floor when the sink is overflowing and the tap is going full bore," he said.
"We've really got to get much more serious about just stopping and reducing the amounts of plastic we're producing in the first place because that's the only thing that's really going to make a difference here. Just trying to recycle a bit better is just absolutely inadequate."
Prince said a large amount of the plastic pollution was unbranded meaning it was impossible to trace it back to the source. He said we need better regulations around branding plastics so there is clear accountability.
The United Nations is currently considering a pledge which would involve the requirements of clear branding on plastic.
But Prince said ultimately we need restrictions on how much plastic we are producing and how many chemicals are used in its production.
"There needs to be a wide range of measures to stop this problem."
Watch the full interview above.
