Urge the State Department to Negotiate the Strongest Possible Global Plastics Treaty!
By: Thomas Hynes
A crucial treaty on plastics and plastic pollution is currently being hammered out at the fifth session of the International Negotiating Committee for the UN Environment Assembly (INC-5) in Korea. As these talks conclude, we need the United States delegation to lobby for the strongest possible global plastics treaty. Such an outcome could represent an international and legally binding solution to the scourge of plastic pollution plaguing communities and waterways around the world.
That is why we are urging U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to negotiate the strongest possible global plastics treaty.
Will you take a moment to help protect the world from plastic pollution?
Hundreds of million tons of plastic are created every year, and, unfortunately, that number is poised to grow. In spite of this glut of production, only about 10% of plastic will be recycled. It begins to explain why so much plastic pollution ends up in our waterways and other places it doesn’t belong.
Making matters worse, the facilities that convert petroleum and fracked gas into plastic compounds release a host of other toxic pollutants into waterways and fenceline, frontline, and Indigenous communities. Plastic production facilities also push massive quantities of plastic pellets and other plastic particles into waterways through mishandling and water discharge, affecting not only the water quality, but also the recreational and cultural uses of our shorelines and waterways.
This goes far beyond litter and trash. Plastic pollution is dangerous at every stage of its lifespan. Just this September, there were five plastics-related chemical disasters in the United States. A chemical plant fire in Ohio, a pipeline fire in Texas, a plant explosion in Louisiana, a styrene leak in Ohio, and a chemical disaster in Georgia.
We don’t need more evidence. We need action. We need the strongest possible protections, and we need them immediately.
We urgently need your voice to support the Global Plastics Treaty, which would:
- Reduce plastic production at its source
- Eliminate hazardous chemicals harmful to health and the environment
- Ensure transparent reporting on plastic pollution
- Establish binding rules for the entire plastics lifecycle
- Provide funding to implement these measures
- Support a just transition for workers affected by these changes
We have a chance to leave the next generation a cleaner and safer world by leading the global community in protecting communities and waterways from plastic pollution. Your action can make a difference! Join us in advocating for a sustainable future.