What to know about the plastic pollution treaty talks in South Korea
A last round of negotiations on a legally binding treaty to address the global scourge of plastic pollution has opened in Busan, South Korea
A last round of negotiations on a legally binding treaty to address the global scourge of plastic pollution has opened in Busan, South Korea. Here's what to know about it:
National delegations still have a lot to hammer out before there is a treaty. Most contentious is whether there will be a limit on the amount of plastic that companies are allowed to produce.
Led by Norway and Rwanda, 66 countries plus the European Union say they want to address the total plastic on Earth by controlling plastic design, production, consumption and what happens at the end of its life.
Some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, including Saudi Arabia, vigorously oppose such limits.
Global plastics production is set to reach 736 million tons by 2040, up 70% from 2020, without policy changes, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Negotiators must also decide whether the treaty will reduce or eliminate single-use plastics. They'll have to resolve whether to end the use of hazardous chemicals in plastics and whether these steps will be mandated or merely encouraged.
Their common objective is to protect human health and the environment.
There are some things many countries agree on. They want provisions in a treaty to promote the redesign of plastic products so they can be recycled and reused. They want to invest to better manage plastic waste. They want to increase recycling rates and help waste pickers transition to safer jobs. There is agreement that there needs to be a mechanism to help countries pay for anything required of them.
Graham Forbes, who is
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