US Wants Treaty to Limit Plastic

The United States has announced it will lend its backing to a global treaty limiting the amount of plastics that are produced worldwide, signaling a policy shift from previous resistance on such efforts, according to Reuters.

In April, many of the world's leading plastic producers converged in Ottawa, Canada, to further development on a legally binding agreement to curb the production of plastics and mitigate its usage in everyday products. Previously, the U.S. had favored discussions on recycling and re-use. The announcement now shifts the obligation of plastic control to the producers and puts the U.S. at odds with other top manufacturers China and Saudi Arabia.

Earlier attempts at limiting plastics have been met with resistance from petrochemical company giants such as ExxonMobil who argued in April that capping production would do little to reduce pollution and alternatives could have a higher carbon footprint, the Financial Times reported.

Discussions for a global resolution on plastics began in 2022 where the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA-5) sought a legally binding agreement that would address the full life cycle of plastics encompassing its production, design, and disposal.

At the crux of the issue is the overwhelming amount of plastic waste harming developing nations and the continued research on the harmful effects of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or so called "forever chemicals."

Espen Barth Eide, President of the UNEA-5 and Norway's Minister for Climate and the Environment said that the time, "Against the backdrop of geopolitical turmoil, the UN Environment Assembly shows multilateral cooperation at its best. Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today's resolution we are officially on track for a cure."

The resolution also aims to stem the tide of plastic waste that has ravaged much of Africa where the demand and use of the materials far outpaces many countries' ability to manage it. Unless current trends are reversed, sub-Saharan Africa is projected to end up with 116 million tons of plastic waste annually by 2060, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

"Today marks a triumph by planet earth over single-use plastics. This is the most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris accord. It is an insurance policy for this generation and future ones, so they may live with plastic and not be doomed by it," added Inger Anderson, executive director of UNEP.

However, not all stakeholders are pleased with the announcement. The American Chemistry Council (ACC), a trade group that represents 190 companies involved in plastics manufacturing said the Biden Administration is "willing to betray U.S. manufacturing" adding that plastics are "critical" to modern healthcare and energy needs.

"If the Biden-Harris administration wants to meet its sustainable development and climate change goals, the world will need to rely on plastics more, not less," the ACC said in a statement.

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