The world is at a crucial juncture regarding the future of plastics . With plastic pollution reaching critical levels, countries, experts, and organizations met in Geneva during August with the aim of finalizing a legally binding global treaty to curb the plastic waste crisis. Human and ecosystem health could be profoundly affected.
For ten days, delegations from more than 170 countries and representatives from nearly 600 organizations debated how to address the polymer problem, from its production to its management as waste. Despite the urgency of the issue and the widespread conviction that the plastic pollution crisis knows no borders , positions between blocs of countries remain firmly entrenched, risking a return home without substantial progress.
A global treaty: priorities and challenges
The negotiations are centered around three key issues : limiting plastic production, regulating the chemicals and additives used, and establishing financial mechanisms to ensure the agreement's effective implementation, particularly in developing countries. Most participating states favor ambitious and binding measures that reduce production, not just improve recycling. However, a handful of oil-producing countries—led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, along with other major economic players—are opting for less stringent agreements focused on final waste management and without restrictions on the manufacture of new plastics.
The risk of a deadlock is real. The consensus system governing the negotiations allows a single country to halt the treaty's progress, a strategy criticized by experts and environmental groups for paralyzing decision-making in the face of a global emergency. Some voices suggest resorting to majority votes or forming coalitions of committed countries, alternatives already used in previous international agreements.
Industry pressure and conflicts of interest
The presence and influence of the petrochemical industry and corporate lobbying in the negotiations is one of the most controversial elements. Numerous sources report that lobbying groups and corporate representatives outnumber many national delegations and the scientific community . According to reports from environmental organizations and independent analyses, this pressure has attempted to weaken the scope of the treaty, prevent drastic production cuts, and eliminate restrictions on hazardous additives. Furthermore, incidents of harassment and intimidation of female scientists and observers at the talks have been documented, leading to calls for greater transparency and protection for experts participating in the process.
At the same time, funding of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) by countries with direct interests in the plastics industry has raised concerns about the impartiality of the process. In response, both scientists and NGO representatives are calling for the establishment of an official scientific advisory panel and stronger safeguards against conflicts of interest.
Environmental and health emergency
The argument for a strong global treaty is not only environmental: the impacts on human health are increasingly well-documented . Recent studies by institutions such as WWF, the University of Birmingham, and the Barcelona Institute for Global Health highlight the presence of micro- and nanoplastics in critical human organs and even in blood, breast milk, and amniotic fluid. These materials carry chemical additives associated with hormonal disorders, cancers, and infertility . The international scientific community emphasizes the urgency of applying the precautionary principle and protecting the most vulnerable populations, such as infants and young children, while research progresses.
On the other hand, the economic damage caused by plastic pollution exceeds $1 trillion annually and particularly affects vulnerable communities and countries in the Global South, which bear the greatest burden of waste and exposure to hazardous chemicals. Only a tiny fraction of the plastics produced are recycled, while the rest ends up in landfills, in the oceans, or disposed of through open burning.
