The Plastic Solutions Fund is working to build a world in which only truly necessary and non-toxic plastics are produced, and even those are reused, repaired, or recycled. A sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, the Fund focuses on collaborative projects that contribute to an emerging global movement for a healthier, more sustainable planet.

Nicky Davies is the executive director at the Plastic Solutions Fund and previously served as a program director at Greenpeace USA, the deputy director for climate and energy at Greenpeace International, and the executive director of Conservation Council ACT Region in Canberra, Australia. Davies spoke with RPA to discuss the vision of the Plastic Solutions Fund and how global efforts to combat plastic pollution have evolved.

When it comes to single-use plastics, what is the scale of the issue and what kinds of solutions are required to address it?

Single-use plastic touches almost every part of our lives, even if we’re trying to avoid it. It’s certainly an enormous problem and the fossil fuel industry is keen to ensure that it becomes an even bigger problem, because they have started to accept that climate-related campaigning on the energy and transport systems is going to have a major impact on their bottom line. Consequently, these companies are looking to petrochemicals, which are used in plastic production and fertilizer and pesticides as the future of the business. So, we’ve got some big battles ahead of us.

It’s also the right time for this battle. Today, there’s a clear understanding not only of the impacts of plastic on the environment but also on our health. For example, the research that came out just in the last couple of weeks about the fact that we all have plastic in our bloodstreams is scary and could serve as a real driver of change.

There’s a reason why you see plastic everywhere—on our supermarket shelves and in stores: because it’s super easy for companies to put their brands on it, on every single serving of the item that you eat or drink. It’s been an extremely convenient way for companies to promote their businesses. It’s all about the packaging. The consequence is that their brand is on every single serving of their product and their product leaks into the environment in extraordinary numbers. So, people understand who is responsible at one level for the problem and have started to demand change. Governments around the world are starting to look for solutions.

Read the full article about fighting plastic pollution at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.