eco-union’s Post

#EndPlasticPollution – Now More Than Ever! A shock. A huge disappointment. The #UN negotiations 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱– and with them, a historic opportunity to tackle one of the defining environmental crises of our time at its root.   For three years, a binding, worldwide agreement to curb plastic pollution felt ambitious but still within reach. Now, the economic power of the petrochemical industry has blocked the breakthrough we urgently needed.   The talks collapsed along a clear dividing line: The #EU-led “High Ambition Coalition” pushed for binding global rules on product design, phase-outs, and restrictions on hazardous chemicals in plastics. Opposing them, a bloc of oil-producing states – now joined by the United States – sought to limit the treaty to waste management and voluntary national action. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁: 𝗻𝗼 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗯 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹.   The consequences are dire: The petrochemical industry is investing billions into expanding production capacity, locking us into decades more of pollution. Within 20 years, global plastic production is set to more than double. Even the OECD’s conservative projection foresees a 60% increase by 2040 – reaching 736 million tons annually – and only a fraction will ever be recycled. The devastating impacts on soils, oceans, biodiversity, and human health will accumulate for generations.   𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 🚫 Eliminate unnecessary plastic at the source 📉 Set hard limits on production ♻️ Dramatically improve recycling quality and quantity 🌱 Scale truly sustainable, circular alternatives – such as materials from renewable resources, free from microplastics, and naturally regenerative.   Hope remains – driven by those still pushing for binding frameworks and genuine innovation.    This failure must not discourage us. It is our mission to push forward – now more than ever – towards ending the age of plastic pollution. 💪   #PlasticTreaty #EndPlasticPollution #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #PlasticFree #ClimateAction #ZeroWaste

💔 🌏 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗡 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 – 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴. After years of negotiations, the chance for a global, binding agreement to tackle plastic pollution has collapsed. Why? Powerful economic interests have blocked rules that would cut plastic production at the source – leaving us with decades more pollution locked in. The facts are stark: - Global plastic production is set to more than double in the next 20 years - Even conservative estimates show a 60% rise by 2040 - Only a fraction will ever be recycled – the rest will harm our oceans, soils, biodiversity and health for generations At traceless materials, this isn’t just another headline – it’s a wake-up call. We’re proving that plastic-free, regenerative materials can replace short-lived plastics where reuse or technical recycling aren’t viable. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁 – 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿. We need ambitious policy, real innovation, and the courage to end the age of plastic pollution. 🌍💪 👉 Read our full statement here: https://lnkd.in/eUX7rBq2 #EndPlasticPollution #PlasticTreaty #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #PlasticFreeFuture

Plastic production has doubled in the past 2 decades alone - and by 2060, the amount of #plastic dumped in the environment could triple. These young changemakers - members of the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Community - have some words for governments and business leaders when it comes to bringing about an end to plastic #pollution. At the UN Environment Programme INC-5.2 conference, talks are underway to negotiate a legally binding global treaty to end plastic pollution, addressing the full lifecycle of #plastics, from design to disposal. Begun in 2022, these talks represent the first global effort to tackle plastic pollution. The World Economic Forum's Global Plastic Action Partnership brings governments, businesses and civil society together to turn commitments to reduce plastic pollution into action. Learn more about what to expect from the #INC52 global plastics #treaty in our explainer: https://ow.ly/lnhB50WzWqP

Young people are already tackling #plasticpollution with innovation, but it is the responsibility of world leaders to match their energy and effort by creating a strong legal infrastructure for plastics, from design to disposal. #GlobalShapers Ifeanyi Chukwudi, PMP, Mbetobong John, Nishank Shah, Kashaf Akhtar

BBC News - Countries gather to thrash out deal on 'plastic crisis' https://lnkd.in/eehVvKat It seems unlikely that substantive agreement will be reached by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution meeting in Geneva over the next 10 days. Here's where my negotiating efforts would focus: 1) stop all international trade on plastic waste, no imports, nor exports of waste 2) countries are required to segregate plastics as a class of waste, but not ro segregate types of plastic 3) countries must sequester all plastic waste in deep long-term repositories I.e. separate from municipal landfill 4) countries report plastics sequestered as a carbon offset Rationale: Consumer plastic separation and collection processes are complex, poorly understood by consumers and not surprisingly weakly followed Processes vary widely between regions. Collection, separation and recycling systems are criticised as a figleaf allowing manufacturers to divert attention from the problem and reduce their liability for it. Plastics are a valuable class of materials used widely across modern societies contributing strongly to human health and well-being. They are the culmination of many years of human ingenuity and hard work. It is crazy to just drop them. Plastics are resistant to degradation in the biosphere so provide a mechanism for long-term lock-up of fossil carbon.

Rob Wilkinson Deep landfill of plastics is an almost perfect form of carbon sequestration. It is exactly the right end state for plastics waste. You hit the nail on the head by identifying the stopping of international trade in plastics waste. It is much easier and more profitable to dump the cargo at sea tham dispose of it responsibly. The two things I would add to your approach are: 1. Reuse and recycling should still be encouraged by appropriate market mechanisms to minimise plastics production. 2. Incineration of plastics (and municipal waste) should be banned internationally. It releases all the embodied CO2 and pollutes the local environment with NOx, Dioxins, particulates, etc.

INC fails to create plastic pollution treaty. “Almost all plastic comes from oil and fracking gases -- fossil fuels which are then combined with over 16,000 chemicals, many being toxic, to make the plastics we are faced with. But fossil-minded countries such as the US, China, India, Russia and the oil-rich Gulf States, were adamant that they would never agree to reduce plastic production – the climate, our environment and our health be damned.” Read more > > https://lnkd.in/eD4EzZqz #INC #BaselActionNetwork #Plastics #PlasticPollution #PlasticWaste #Recycling Basel Action Network

The world is one step closer to a global plastics treaty, but big decisions are still on the table. At INC-5.2 in Geneva (5–14 August 2025), negotiators worked to close critical gaps in the first-ever legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. What’s at stake: 🚩 Locking in rules that tackle plastic pollution across its entire life cycle, from extraction to waste. 🚩Making sure funding flows to the countries hit hardest, yet least responsible, for the crisis. 🚩Aligning global markets, policies and supply chains to end our dependence on harmful plastics. Across sectors, one message is consistent: the treaty must deliver clear, enforceable, global rules that match the scale of the plastics crisis. Want to learn more? Get in touch with Laura Peano to explore the UN Global Plastics Treaty and how to tackle plastic pollution.

🚨 Global Plastics Treaty Talks Stall in Geneva – Time to Refocus and Push Forward We share society’s concerns – and are disappointed that negotiations in Geneva failed to deliver a legally binding global agreement to end plastic pollution. But the mission isn’t over. We welcome the decision to continue talks and urge all UN member states to resume multilateral efforts without delay. A strong agreement must:  ✅ Promote sustainable production and consumption  ✅ Deliver effective waste management for 2.7 billion people without it  ✅ Treat end-of-life plastic as a valuable commodity; not waste  Plastics Europe has long championed collaboration between governments, industry, and civil society to achieve a fair, competitive, and circular plastics economy. In Europe, we will continue working with policymakers to deliver our Plastics Transition roadmap – a clear path to circularity and net zero by 2050 – while boosting competitiveness and innovation.  It’s time to turn momentum into measurable action. #INC5 #GlobalPlasticsTreaty #NoTimeToWaste

On August 13, the #INC-5.2 Chair released a revised draft of the Global Plastics Treaty, removing provisions to limit #plastic resin production while prioritizing #recycling and #waste management. This shift drew strong criticism from the EU, Latin American nations, and approximately 70 countries. As a member in the plastic recycling industry, we stress the critical need for a binding global consensus to control plastic pollution. While a perfect agreement is challenging, achieving alignment specifically on recycling and waste management would significantly advance global plastic waste governance. After all, the urgency is clear: 2024 global plastic consumption is estimated at over 500 million tonnes, with 398 million tonnes becoming waste. UNEP warns plastic waste could triple by 2060 without intervention, causing severe environmental and health impacts. Consensus on this part would accelerate demand for #recycled materials, compel governments and brands to invest in recycling infrastructure, and drive #circular economy development. The draft is reportedly still being discussed but no next steps have been decided on. We hope there will be a result good for the generation to come.