Plastic Treaty Talks: What do Countries, Firms want

Last Updated24/04/2024

Global Leaders met in Canada, to discuss a global treaty to end the Plastic Pollution by the end of year.

The U.N. Environment Assembly in 2022, nations agreed to develop a legally binding agreement by the end of 2024 to address the world's plastic pollution crisis.
The treaty is set to address plastics through their entire lifecycle
Many plastic and petrochemical-producing countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran and China, known collectively as the group of Like-Minded Countries have opposed mentioning production limits.
Meanwhile, the 60-nation "High-Ambition Coalition", which includes EU countries, island nations, Japan and the UAE, wants to end plastic pollution by 2040.

The petrochemical industry (Used for making Plastics) says that production caps would lead to higher prices and that the treaty should address:
- The reuse or recycling of plastics, and on developing the market for burning plastics as fuel.

Plastics are polymers. A polymer is a substance made of many repeating units
Plastics can be divided into two: thermoplastics and thermosets.
Thermoplastics are defined as polymers that can be melted and recast almost indefinitely.
Thermosets is a polymer that irreversibly becomes rigid when heated

Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 prohibits identified single use plastic items by 2022
Thickness of plastic carry bags increased from 50 to 75 microns in 2021 and to 120 microns with effect from 2022
Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022 The guidelines provide a framework to Strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste
Promote the development of new alternatives to plastic packaging
Provide the steps for moving towards sustainable plastic packaging by businesses