How big oil hooked the world on plastic

How big oil hooked the world on plastic

From Ken Cook Is Having Another Episode by EWG

June 2, 2026 · 50 min · Episode 64

About this episode

Ken Cook interviews Beth Gardiner about the role of Big Oil in the plastic pollution crisis and the industry's public relations strategies.

Do you ever feel a sense of personal responsibility for plastic pollution? That reaction is no accident - it’s the result of a decades-long public relations strategy designed to shift blame away from the industries driving the problem.In today’s episode Ken talks with award-winning environmental journalist and author Beth Gardiner. Her new book, “Plastic Inc. The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil’s Biggest Bet,” reveals why Big Oil is responsible for the global plastic pollution problem. Beth traces the full arc of the oil and plastic industry’s political strategy as well as the origins of plastic recycling as a PR opportunity rather than an environmental solution. Against the backdrop of weakening environmental safeguards and shifting regulatory priorities, the episode asks a pressing question: how do we hold some of the most powerful industries on the planet accountable for a crisis they helped create?

People in this episode

Host: Ken Cook

Guest: Beth Gardiner

Topics covered

  • plastic pollution
  • environmental journalism
  • public relations
  • Big Oil
  • accountability
  • recycling

Keywords

  • plastic pollution
  • Big Oil
  • environmental journalism
  • Beth Gardiner
  • recycling
  • public relations
  • accountability

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Big Oil, EWG

Books & works: Plastic Inc. The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil’s Biggest Bet

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