Plastic pollution: Green light for 'historic' global treaty

Image source, Getty Images

The world is going to get a treaty to tackle plastic pollution.

Nearly 200 countries have agreed to start negotiations on an international agreement to take action on the plastic crisis.

The UN is tasked with developing a framework for reducing plastic waste.

There is concern that discarded plastic is harmful to wildlife and the food chain.

The move is one of the most ambitious environmental actions since the Montreal Protocol, which phased out ozone-depleting substances.

Plastic should have its own binding treaty, like the Paris Agreement, to set the world on course for reducing plastic waste.

The United Nations Environment Programme is advised by Prof Steve Fletcher of the University of Pompey.

He said the problem is international.

He said that one country cannot deal with plastic pollution alone.

We need a global agreement to enable us to deal with the challenges of plastic.

The UN member states have agreed to begin negotiations on a treaty that would set rules for the production, use and disposal of plastic. The decision was made at a meeting of the UN Environment Assembly.

WWF said the decision was one of the most ambitious environmental actions since the Montreal Protocol phased out ozone-depleting substances.

Senior policy advisor, Paula Chin, said that turning off the plastic tap is key to addressing the full lifecycle of plastic products.

She said that the next step was to make sure that all the people who signed the agreement were ready to deliver.

The plastic pollution treaty needs to be agreed on by world leaders by the year 2024.

Environmental groups are calling for strong global standards that will encourage nations to stick to common rules and regulations while punishing harmful products and practices.

There will be pressure to help countries in the south deal with plastic problems created in the north.

There is a debate about who pays and how to make sure that countries in the global south have the resources to deal with the plastic pollution crisis that they face.

Image source, Getty Images

• It's thought more than five trillion pieces of plastic are in the world's oceans, which can take years to break down

• Each year, 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced and 40% of that is single-use - plastic only used once before it's thrown away

• More than eight million tonnes of plastic enters the world's oceans each year and most of that escapes from land

• Not all plastic can be recycled, either because of the way it's made or because it's too expensive or difficult to do so

• Animals on land or at sea can be harmed by plastic. They can get trapped in carrier bags or food packaging or mistake plastic for food.

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