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Hopes for a plastics treaty hang in the balance

A global deal to reduce plastic production, improve recycling, and cut exposure to a cocktail of chemicals used in packaging now hangs in the balance.

Three years of negotiations have failed to create a global plastics treaty after the “final” talks broke down in Geneva, Switzerland, last week.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which led the talks, tried to put a positive spin on the failure to agree the promised treaty.

While the news “may bring sadness”, according to Luis Vayas Valdivieso, Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) chair ambassador, “it should not lead to discouragement”, he added, calling on those involved to “regain our energy, renew our commitments, and unite our aspirations”.

No deal at all ‘better than a toothless treaty’

Green non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the businesses pushing for an ambitious, legally binding treaty that includes a cap on production of plastic are now left wondering whether no deal (so far) is better than a bad deal.

“The lack of a successful outcome not only delays the development of much-needed harmonised global rules – it also makes me wonder how this kind of genuine, constructive exchange between so many decision-makers and stakeholders will continue moving forward,” wrote PepsiCo global environmental policy leader Anke Boykin on social media.

“The supposedly final round of negotiations […] has exposed deep geopolitical divides and a troubling resistance to confronting the real drivers of plastic pollution,” said Christina Dixon, from the Environmental Investigation Agency, which has been working on this issue for the duration of the process.

“No deal is better than a toothless treaty,” she added, before admitting that those championing an ambitious treaty “are tired of fighting against those who want nothing and will not come to the table”.

Voluntary efforts on plastic packaging commitments ‘are not enough’

The Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty, which includes the likes of Mars, Coca-Cola, Walmart, and Kraft Heinz among its 300 members, also kept its glass half-full, acknowledging that there has been “increased clarity” on the harmonised regulations needed across the full lifecycle of plastics to tackle plastic pollution effectively.

This includes phase-outs of certain plastics, changes to product design, and extended producer responsibility (EPR).

Six rounds of talks have failed to bridge a divide between what are generally seen as a group of more than 100 countries seeking a robust agreement and those from oil-producing nations who are relying on continued growth in plastic production and want the focus to remain on voluntary action and higher levels of recycling.

Globally, fewer than 10% of plastics are thought to be recycled. The price of some recycled polymers is currently far higher than virgin plastic, prompting some food and drink companies to put the brakes on their use of recycled content in packaging (which can help reduce their greenhouse gas emissions).

Others have begun to water down or sunset their commitments on plastic packaging, including targets to increase recycled content and scale reusable packaging models.

“Voluntary efforts are not enough,” said Jodie Roussell, global public affairs lead for packaging and sustainability at Nestlé.