Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee has first meeting on global plastics treaty

Heads of state, ministers of environment and other representatives from United Nations (UN) Member States endorsed a resolution March 2 at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, to address plastic pollution by forging an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal.

The resolution is based on three initial draft resolutions from various nations and establishes an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) that began work this year with the ambition of completing a draft global legally binding agreement by the end of 2024. According to the U.N., the INC is expected to present a legally binding instrument that would reflect diverse alternatives to address the full life cycle of plastics, the design of reusable and recyclable products and materials and the need for enhanced international collaboration to facilitate access to technology, capacity building and scientific and technical cooperation.

In March, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said it would convene a forum by the end of 2022 that is open to all stakeholders in conjunction with the first session of the INC to share knowledge and best practices in different parts of the world. That meeting, known as INC-1, occurred this week in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. Members of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) joined delegates for the meeting.

A statement from the ICCA, which the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) share and alternate secretariat responsibilities for every two years, reads that the organization “remains supportive of a legally binding agreement to eliminate plastic waste in the environment and is optimistic of the direction of negotiations towards achieving this goal as INC-1 concludes.”

The ICCA says a number of common themes and desired actions emerged from the meeting:

• scaling up a circular economy for plastics, where used plastics are captured and remade into new plastics;
• designing products for circularity;
• enabling partnerships between the private sector and governments to unlock financing to improve waste management, which serves as the foundation of a circular economy; and
• enhancing transparency on chemical additives.

“ICCA and plastic makers support these actions and remain constructively engaged to advance solutions, provide industry data where appropriate and foster a bold agreement that helps eliminate plastic waste in the environment,” the organization says.

“Plastic makers around the globe are already transitioning towards a circular economy by investing billions in recycling infrastructure and designing plastic products for increased recycling,” the ICAA statement continues. “This global agreement presents a significant opportunity to accelerate those efforts by fostering public-private partnerships, aligning private investment with country goals and actions and reducing barriers to technology and expertise necessary for an equitable transition to circularity.”

 Regarding concerns about chemical additives in plastic, the ICCA says, “Although many governments already rigorously test and regulate chemical additives for safety, the plastics and chemical industry is embarking on potential pathways to improve transparency of additives used in plastics.

“Additives are essential to the myriad uses of plastics in modern life. Additives play important roles in helping prevent medical equipment from melting during sterilization, enabling wind turbines and solar panels to better withstand the elements, and building vehicles that can absorb more impact so passengers absorb less in an accident. Plastic and chemical manufacturers will continue working with national governments and international negotiators throughout the INC process so additives can be used with confidence and deliver the benefits essential to so many critical products,” the organization adds.