We can talk of air pollution and noise pollution, but one of the key issues right now is plastic pollution. With an estimated 400 million tonnes created annually, a significant portion of plastic pollution ends up in rivers, oceans, and even our food, making it one of the most urgent environmental concerns of our time. Countries have been attempting for years to reach a worldwide agreement that would not only clear up the problem but also stop it from getting worse. The main point of contention is whether strict restrictions on the manufacture of new plastics should be imposed globally.
The US calls on countries to oppose plastic production caps during UN treaty negotiations
The United States has sent letters to at least a handful of countries urging them to reject the goal of a global pact that includes limits on plastic production and plastic chemical additives at the start of U.N. plastic treaty talks in Geneva, according to a memo and communications seen by Reuters. In the communications dated July 25 and circulated to countries at the start of negotiations on Monday.
The U.S. laid out its red lines for negotiations that put it in direct opposition to over 100 countries that have supported those measures. Hopes for a “last-chance” ambitious global treaty that tackles the full life cycle of plastic pollution from the production of polymers to the disposal of waste have dimmed as delegates gather for what was intended to be the final round of negotiations.
Conflict over plastic limitations between the EU and small islands, and the US and oil states
Significant divisions remain between oil-producing countries—which oppose caps on virgin plastic production fuelled by petroleum, coal, and gas—and parties such as the European Union and small island states, which advocate for limits, as well as stronger management of plastic products and hazardous chemicals.
The U.S. delegation, led by career State Department officials who had represented the Biden administration, sent memos to countries laying out its position and saying it will not agree to a treaty that tackles the upstream of plastic pollution. The memo Reuters understands was sent to countries that could not be named due to sensitivities around the negotiations, and it said,
“We will not support impractical global approaches such as plastic production targets or bans and restrictions on plastic additives or plastic products – that will increase the costs of all plastic products that are used throughout our daily lives.”
A State Department spokesperson told Reuters,
“Some countries may choose to undertake bans, while others may want to focus on improved collection and recycling.”
Potential implications for the plastics treaty’s future
Although the UN has set a strict deadline for the treaty’s completion, the most recent U.S. stance may make it more difficult to come to an agreement. Negotiators now have to decide whether to pursue a more flexible agreement that might not result in a meaningful reduction in plastic waste or to strive for an ambitious, legally enforceable accord. Now, the EU wants Russian gas exit plans kept quiet.
Over 100 countries have backed a cap on global plastic production. In the U.S., the Trump administration has numerous measures to roll back climate and environmental policies that it says place too many burdens on industry. Plastic production is set to triple by 2060 without intervention, choking oceans, harming human health and accelerating climate change, according to the OECD. Now, it might affect the Paris Seine for swimming after a century‑long ban, as plastics might be too much and pollute the water. However, from the looks of it, it is something that will not go away anytime soon, or ever.
GCN.com/Reuters