A globally binding agreement could drastically reduce plastic waste and thus reduce the harmful effects on the environment and human health. The third round of negotiations between representatives of the UN member states begins this Monday in the Kenyan capital Nairobi to determine the details of such an agreement.
Whether packaging material or building materials, everyday items or cosmetic additives: various plastics, also known colloquially as plastic, are a ubiquitous part of modern life and their production has multiplied over the past decades. According to the plastics producers’ association Plastics Europe, 400.3 million tons of plastic were produced worldwide in 2022 – twice as much as in 2002. More than 90 percent of it was made from petroleum, although the proportion of bio-based and recycled raw materials has increased.
The biggest concern is the life cycle of plastic – once produced, it takes centuries for plastic to decompose. According to scientists, of all plastic waste generated between 1950 and 2018, 76 percent was disposed of in landfills or in the environment. It is estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans every year. There they harm the ecosystems, whether as tiny particles – so-called microplastics – or through the release of toxic chemicals. According to a report by the UN Environment Program, global plastic pollution could be reduced by 80 percent by 2040.
In March 2022, representatives of more than 170 countries decided at the United Nations to seek an agreement on how to deal with plastic. It aims to set binding measures for the entire life cycle of plastics – from the quantities in which individual materials are produced, to the design of plastic products, to the disposal and recycling of plastic waste.
The round of negotiations in Kenya is the third of five, following meetings in Uruguay and France. A summit of states is scheduled to approve the agreement in mid-2025. But until then it is still a long way.
Negotiators emphasize that this is not about demonizing or banning plastic. Rather, the agreement is intended to determine whether and to what extent the production of various plastics will be restricted and by what means this should be achieved. The agreement is also intended to regulate the use of particularly harmful chemical components. It is also about dealing with plastic waste both in the individual states and across national borders, as well as the collection and reuse of recyclables. In addition, funding and accountability mechanisms must be clarified.
Many fundamental questions are still open, for example, what actually falls within the scope of the agreement – because the colloquial term plastic includes many different types of plastic. There is disagreement, for example, on the question of legally binding targets and whether and to what extent production is limited. Oil-rich countries in particular want to focus on recycling processes instead of restrictions on production. Different interests also collide when it comes to financing: developing and emerging countries expect to be supported by industrialized countries in coping with the costs. It remains unclear what exactly this might look like and to what extent the private sector will be called upon to cover the costs.
The WWF called the round of negotiations in Kenya crucial in setting the course for binding rules. “Relying on national or voluntary individual measures has led to the dead end of an unfair system. With global rules that make those responsible more accountable, we can create a fairer value chain for plastic and also relieve the burden on the environment,” said Plastik- Expert Laura Griestop from WWF Germany. This is particularly important for poorer countries, which pay a particularly high price for the effects of plastic waste. Greenpeace is calling for new plastic production to be reduced by at least 75 percent by 2040 and single-use plastic to be eliminated. There should also be a socially just transition to a climate-friendly economy based on reuse.
Manufacturers do not want to be restricted in production and instead emphasize the role of recycling. The Plastics Europe interest group is calling for the expansion of waste recycling systems worldwide as well as binding specifications for the use of recycled material as well as for repairable and reusable products. Manufacturers should make a financial contribution to waste disposal. “It is crucial to exploit all possibilities to produce plastics from non-fossil raw materials and to consistently cycle them at the end of their use,” demanded the general manager of the Association of the Chemical Industry (VCI) in Germany, Wolfgang Große Entrup.
Many researchers hope that the agreement will lead to a comprehensive rethinking of the global approach to plastic, as can be seen, for example, from a series of statements published by the Helmholtz Center Hereon on the negotiations on the agreement. Melanie Bergmann from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, advocates limiting plastic production to what is absolutely necessary and to chemicals that have been proven to be harmless. In addition, the impact on the environment and health should be taken into account in the prices.
