Plastics marine litter – Photo Science Photo Library
(PARIS) – With plastic production forecast to triple by 2060, the EU will Monday call for legally binding provisions to address the production of primary plastics, with a view to making production and consumption sustainable.
Environment Commissioner Commissioner Sinkevicius will be representing the Commission at a high-level meeting organised by the United Nations. This will be the second high-level round of negotiations on the way to achieving a global treaty against plastic pollution.
“An international plastics treaty is our chance to stop plastic pollution by introducing global rules throughout the entire plastics life cycle,” said Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius: “In the EU, we keep strengthening our legislation to reduce plastic pollution from new EU-wide rules to reduce packaging to measures on microplastics. We are determined to keep working for ambitious action across the world, as the fight against the pollution, climate and biodiversity crises must involve all of us.”
The exponential growth of production and consumption of plastics in recent decades is having serious negative effects on the environment and human health. Of the seven billion tonnes of plastic waste generated globally so far, less than 10 per cent has been recycled. Millions of tonnes of plastic waste are lost to the environment, or sometimes shipped thousands of kilometres to destinations where it is mostly burned or dumped.
More than 1,000 delegates from governments, NGOs, industry, and civil society will discuss with the aim to conclude by the end of 2024 a new legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
The EU will also propose measures to eliminate and restrict plastic products that are avoidable, replaceable, produce waste or pose a significant risk to human health and the environment. Meanwhile, plastic products that are to remain in the economy should be designed in a more sustainable way, including through increased use of recycled plastics.
