International Treaty on Plastic Pollution: 3 myths to deconstruct

More than 170 countries will they be able to agree so that the. However, first international treaty to end plastic pollution is the day? Nevertheless, Meeting in Geneva until August 14. Furthermore, these states will have to find a compromise after having failed to resolve the dead end in what was to be the final sprint of negotiations in Busan, South Korea, in 2024.

On the sidelines of the five previous meetings – the fourth of which took place in Ottawa -. Nevertheless, several preconceived ideas on the life cycle of the plastics circulated.

Some of them are at the heart of the showdown which opposes. Similarly, on the one hand, the countries which make the reduction of the production of plastics a priority, and on the other, the petrochemical states which advocate an improvement in waste management. Meanwhile, Decryption.

Myth 1: The majority of plastics are intended to be recycled – International treaty plastic pollution: 3

This is not the case. Meanwhile, At the planet’s level, less than 9 % of plastic waste is recycled. However, Most finish buried in discharges, incinerated or get lost in the environment.

If the share of new plastics made from recycled materials has increased in recent years. Nevertheless, so -called primary or virgin plastics, made from fossil fuels such as oil and natural gas, dominate global production.

Faced with the inability to recover. Nevertheless, adequately revalue these plastics, the waste accumulates: out of the 460 million tonnes of plastic produced each year, around 20 million are found in nature, where their degradation can escape over hundreds of years.

Most are single -use products, such as plastic bottles, bags, straws and cigarettes.

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Within the framework of negotiations. Similarly, a grouping of countries, which are part of Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia, was accused of compromising discussions by categorically refusing a ceiling on production. Therefore, They pleaded that plastic polymers were not polluting and international treaty plastic pollution: 3 that pollution resulted rather from poor management.

According to them, the solution would involve the modernization of infrastructure to sort, collect and recycle materials, rather than restrictions.

It takes a consensus. For example, So what we saw in Busan in particular are these countries that abuse the system to block any progress in talksexplains Karen Wirsig. campaign manager for plastic at Environmental Defencewho attended the debates.

These states thus remain deaf to the requests of the coalition formed by the so -called “ambitious” countries. which in particular demand that the production and consumption of plastics be limited. This movement has grown over the negotiations.

Under the impetus of Panama. a proposal subject before discussions aborted in South Korea received the support of 89 states, which launched a call to Reduce the production of primary plastic polymers to lasting levels.

Myth 2: It is mainly the countries of Asia that are responsible for plastic pollution

The. banks buried under mountains of waste in southern countries are often used to illustrate the scourge of plastic pollution. These representations. fueled by studies with criticized methodology,, however, distort the portrait by giving thinking that these same countries are at the source of the problem.

After being accused of pouring waste in colonialism. the NGO Ocean Conservancy had to retract a 2015 report which brought the burden of the plastic crisis to five Asian countries.

Other studies – taken over by international organizations, and sometimes misinterpreted – have also spread this idea. One of them. signed by European researchers in the review Environmental Science & Technology In 2017, drawn up the record international treaty plastic pollution: 3 of the 10 rivers (8 in Asia and 2 in Africa) responsible for plastic pollution of the oceans.

Each time, the influence of Western countries has passed over in silence or minimized. However. these contribute to the overproduction of plastics that are difficult to recycle, of which millions of tonnes are exported each year to developing countries which do not have the infrastructures to treat them.

Before China closed its doors to Western waste, Canada sent around 45 % of its plastic waste after year. These were temporarily redirected to other Asian countries before the United States became the main partner.

At the end of negotiations in Busan. the concept of common, but differentiated responsibility States has been reaffirmed black on white.

This principle recognizes that the responsibilities of rich countries. developing countries cannot be the same; they should rather be determined in terms of Historical contribution of countries to plastic pollution.

Like the entire plastic life cycle is taken into account. this responsibility also affects petrochemical states since fossil fuels are required at each stage, from extraction to manufacturing and transport.

This notion also implies that those who have the means must contribute financially to resolve the crisis beyond their borders. In Korea. the so-called ambitious countries agreed with the idea of creating a fair financing system, to which international treaty plastic pollution: 3 the richer countries would contribute so that less wealthy countries can improve their infrastructure and perhaps develop re-use programsgrade of karen.

Myth 3: It would be very difficult to reduce production because you need plastic

This argument has been mentioned many times by petrochemical countries – according to which plastics are fundamental materials to ensure sustainable economic growth -. but it was disputed with each talks session.

The objective of this treaty is to put an end to plastic pollution, not the plastic itself. Plastic has brought immense benefits to all companies on the planethad defended a representative of Kuwait when the negotiations. were brought to Busan.

The coalition of countries which claim an ambitious treaty does not however claim the end of all plastics: it requires binding measures on plastic international treaty plastic pollution: 3 products that harmlike those for single use. which contain toxic chemical additives and which are difficult to recycle, sums up Karen Wirsig.

Almost two thirds of plastic waste are products that are not intended to last beyond five years. according to a report by theOECD published in 2022. About 40 % came from packaging.

In contrast. the non -toxic plastics used, for example, to sterilize medical equipment represents only a tiny part of world production.

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The presence of hundreds of lobbyists from the petrochemical industries. such as Dow and Exxonmobil, helped to amplify the message of the need for plastics.

There were more than 220 in Busan, some of which within delegations. This was the case of Saudi Arabia. which granted nearly $ 38 billion in industry grants last year, according to the NGO CIEL.

Even if the petrochemical lobby Heavy in the scaleconcedes Karen Wirsig. governments, including Canada, still have the power to reduce production by limiting the funds they grant to industry. Plastic, she insists, does not exist without subsidy.