What you need to know about the plastic pollution treaty negotiations in South Korea

Article content

The final round of negotiations on a legally binding agreement to tackle the global scourge of plastic pollution has opened in Busan, South Korea. Here’s what you need to know:

Nations decide what steps to take

The national delegates still have a lot to express before there is an agreement. The most contested issue 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 and the European Union say they want to deal with total plastic in the world by controlling plastic design, production, use and what happens at the end of its life.

Article content

Some plastic and oil and gas producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, strongly oppose such restrictions.

Global plastics production is expected to reach 736 million tons by 2040, a 70 percent increase from 2020, without policy changes, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Negotiators must decide whether the agreement will reduce or eliminate single-use plastics. They will have to decide if they will end the use of harmful chemicals in plastics and if these measures will be approved or just encouraged.

Their common goal is to protect human health and the environment.

There are some things that most countries agree on. They want provisions in the agreement to promote the recycling of plastic products for recycling and reuse. They want to invest money to better manage plastic waste. They want to increase recycling rates and help waste pickers switch to safer practices. There is agreement that there must be a way to help countries pay whatever is required of them.

Environmental groups and indigenous leaders want a holistic approach

Article content

Article content

Graham Forbes, who leads the Greenpeace team in Busan, said his group supports the agreement that sets a reasonable path to reduce the amount of plastic produced, eliminate toxic chemicals and protect people from the uncontrolled use of plastics. That is achievable, but it will require political leadership and courage not seen in previous negotiations, he added.

Frankie Orona, executive director of the Texas-based United Nations of Texas, said they want an agreement that will address the root causes of the problem instead of just managing plastic waste.

“We must seize this moment and leave a legacy that we can be proud of, with a sustainable, non-toxic future for all our children and our children’s children,” he said.

The plastics industry wants to focus on remanufacturing, reuse and recycling

Industry leaders are calling for an agreement that curbs plastic pollution by redesigning plastics so they can be reused, recycled and recycled into new products. They say that this will make the materials that are used to be used and not go into the environment.

Company executives say they will support an agreement that recognizes the benefits of plastic to society, while eliminating pollution.

Article content

“I would hate to miss this opportunity because we are dealing with issues that divide us instead of uniting us in this ultimate goal of fixing the issue of plastic pollution,” said Steve Prusak, president and CEO of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company. “It’s a really critical time. We are very hopeful that what we get from the meetings will lead to effective, usable and harmonized processes around the world.”

The UN wants negotiators to reach an agreement in Busan

UN Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen said the treaty talks are a historic opportunity to get an agreement and a fair lesson, something that “we absolutely can’t do.”

“We can sit and wait and discuss and discuss and discuss. But right now our oceans are closed with plastic,” he said.

_____

The Associated Press’ Climate and Environment receives financial support from many nonprofit organizations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP rankings for work and philanthropies, list of supporters and funded sites at AP.org.

Article content