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Response from the Scientists' Coalition On the "Aid to Negotiations by the Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment"
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A group of scientists is warning that the current draft of the global plastics treaty is too weak, it focuses mainly on managing plastic waste after it's created, rather than tackling the problem at its source, like limiting how much new plastic gets made and what chemicals go into it. This matters because if the treaty doesn't address plastic production and toxic ingredients from the start, harmful chemicals and microplastics will keep piling up in our food, water, and bodies, undermining efforts to protect public health long-term.
In the introductory section of the Aid to Negotations (AtN), the Chair reminded members that their deliberations are bound by UNEA Resolution 5/14 "End Plastic Pollution." However, the AtN does not reflect the level of effectiveness needed to fulfil this mandate, instead it risks a narrowing of the treaty to waste management rather than enabling comprehensive responses across the full life-cycle starting at supply.
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