The world is now in the midst of an intensifying plastic pollution crisis. Yet negotiations for a global treaty are failing to clear major obstacles. The United Nations Environment Assembly is meeting for the last time this week to finalize the treaty. Australia and a few other nations are advocating for the most ambitious of measures to address the problem, so the stakes could not be higher. The importance of the moment couldn’t be more obvious. The findings are alarming, revealing that almost every person tested has plastic-linked chemicals in their body.
Annual global plastic production is at an all-time high of 475 megatonnes per year — a number expected to triple by 2060. By comparison, just 2 megatonnes were emitted back in 1950. Just seven countries — China, the United States, and Saudi Arabia among them — are responsible for two-thirds of global plastic production. Notably, a quarter of plastic polymers are manufactured by major corporations such as Sinopec, ExxonMobil, LyondellBasell, Saudi Aramco, and PetroChina.
Rising Health Concerns Linked to Plastic Pollution
Recent peer-reviewed studies consistently find that everyone tested has several of these ubiquitous plastic chemicals in their bodies. This has direct implications for vulnerable populations, like newborn infants and pregnant women. The Lancet researchers highlighted that microplastic and nanoplastic particles have increasingly been detected in various human biological samples—ranging from blood and breastmilk to organs like the liver, kidney, and brain.
“The presence of multiple widely used plastic chemicals have been found in the bodies of nearly all people examined, including newborn infants and pregnant women. Microplastic and nanoplastic particles are increasingly reported in human biological specimens,” – The Lancet researchers.
The Lancet called attention to how this plastic crisis is worsening other planetary issues. In response, researchers pointed out that “the world is in a plastics crisis,” which exacerbates climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
The Push for a Binding Global Treaty
In the face of these shocking changes, Australia’s Environment Minister Murray Watt has come out swinging. He reiterated Australia’s defence of a binding treaty to end plastic pollution by 2040. He wrote that real solutions need to tackle the entire lifecycle of plastics. That means stopping the production of harmful plastics and chemicals, as well as environmental leakage, and cleaning up pollution that already exists.
“We are determined to push for an effective and meaningful global treaty to achieve our goal of ending plastic pollution by 2040,” – Senator Murray Watt.
Despite all of these efforts, the United States stubbornly stands alone against more than 100 countries. These countries are advocating for a strong and binding treaty. U.S. proposals claim that curbing consumer demand and improving recycling infrastructure are enough to address the crisis. Experts such as John Hartman condemn this explanation as a fallacy.
“They argue that reducing consumer demand and recycling are sufficient responses to this crisis. This is a fallacy. We cannot recycle our way out,” – John Hartman.
The Road Ahead: Negotiations and Implementation
Our future through the upcoming negotiations could involve enforcement mechanisms, binding caps on plastic production, and bans on toxic chemicals. We have the capacity to do it by making provisions to assist poorer countries. This kind of financial assistance will ensure they can more easily adjust to changing regulations. If adopted, a Conference of Parties would meet regularly to monitor the treaty’s implementation and compliance.
Yet the path to a final, full agreement is still complicated and dangerous. As highlighted by John Hartman, various vested interests within the chemical, fossil fuel, and manufacturing sectors are resistant to change.
“Despite the overwhelming evidence highlighting the dangers, ridding the world of petro-plastics and the toxic chemicals they leach is a challenging process,” – John Hartman.
