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UN Plastics Treaty at risk of falling at final hurdle

The fifth round of negotiations for a global plastic treaty begins on Monday 25 November in Busan, South Korea.

Written by Sam Perriman, Senior Media Officer | 21 Nov 2024

Plastic waste clogs up a river in Recife, Brazil.

UN Plastics Treaty at risk of falling at final hurdle

The world’s first meaningful opportunity to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis is at risk of falling at the final hurdle, the charity Tearfund warns.

The fifth and potentially final round of negotiations for a global legally-binding treaty on plastic pollution will begin next week on Monday 25 November in Busan, South Korea.

However there is a serious risk that the treaty will be weakened to the point of being ineffective in protecting people living in poverty from the effects of plastic pollution.

Mari Williams, Senior Policy Associate at Tearfund, said:

“These talks are a once in a lifetime opportunity to stem the flow of plastic pollution. My greatest fear is that the summit produces a toothless treaty that does nothing to halt and reverse the projected increase in plastic production and pollution. Already up to a million people die each year as a result of diseases related to plastic and other mismanaged waste. The summit is a critical moment in the fight against plastic pollution and the environmental and health crises it causes. Countries who want to see a strong, enforceable treaty must bring urgency and ambition to these talks.”

The mandate for this treaty was to deliver an end to plastic pollution by 2040. This can only be achieved with binding obligations on all member states, however negotiators from some low ambition countries have repeatedly attempted to water down the treaty. Supported by petrochemical companies, they have avoided the issue of reducing plastic production and have been accused of stalling progress with procedural issues.

Tearfund will be attending the negotiations to call for:

  • Legally binding targets to reduce plastic production and scale up reuse solutions
  • consideration for waste pickers
  • Universal access to waste collection and recycling services
  • Mechanisms to ensure businesses and governments take action

Waste pickers collect almost 60% of all the plastic that’s collected for recycling globally each year. The treaty must positively impact the livelihoods of waste pickers through better pay, working conditions and access to services, such as health care.

Severino Lima Junior, President of the International Alliance of Waste Pickers, said:

"We are at a crucial moment in the negotiations for the plastics treaty. We are closer than ever to establishing an unprecedented international environmental agreement that acknowledges the contributions of waste pickers and prioritises them in a just transition. We urge member states to ensure the legal instrument retains the provisions for a Just Transition and those addressing waste pickers. Specific reference to waste pickers is vital. And promoting a just transition for waste pickers in the treaty will positively impact the lives of 34 million waste pickers worldwide."

Tearfund statistics on plastic pollution:

  • Plastic pollution is putting more than 200 million of the world’s poorest people at risk of more severe and frequent flooding - a number equivalent to the combined populations of UK, France and Germany (2023 report by Tearfund and Resource Futures)
  • Every minute, enough plastic waste to cover a football pitch is openly dumped or burnt in Sub Saharan Africa, according to analysis by Tearfund (analysis conducted by Tearfund in 2023 of most recent OECD figures).
  • Between 400,000 and 1 million people die each year in developing countries because of diseases related to plastic and other mismanaged waste. That’s up to one person every 30 seconds (Tearfund’s 2019 report No time to waste)

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For further information please contact: Maddie Gordon [email protected] or Ann Hallam (on Fri 22 November)  [email protected].

For out of hours media enquiries: 07929 339813 or [email protected].

Tearfund is a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. We tackle poverty through sustainable development, responding to disasters and challenging injustice. We believe an end to extreme poverty is possible. Tearfund is also a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee. For more information about the work of Tearfund, please visit www.tearfund.org

Written by

Written by  Sam Perriman, Senior Media Officer

Senior Media Officer

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