Plastics conference: 170 UN states are fighting for rules against mountains of rubbish

400 million tons of plastics are produced worldwide every year. But only ten percent are recycled. The rest is burned, ends up in landfill or somewhere in the environment. In order to curb this mountain of waste, the United Nations wants to launch an international agreement against plastic pollution. In Nairobi, Kenya this week, negotiators from more than 170 countries are looking for a solution.

What is the problem? Global plastic production has doubled in the past 20 years. The biggest concern is the life cycle of plastic – once produced, it takes centuries for plastic to decompose. It is estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic waste end up in the oceans every year. There they harm the ecosystems, whether as tiny particles – so-called microplastics – or through the release of toxic chemicals.

What should be done about plastic pollution? Representatives of more than 170 countries want to develop a global agreement. It is intended to establish binding measures for the entire life cycle of plastics – from the quantities in which individual materials are produced, to the design of plastic products, to the disposal and recycling of plastic waste. After meetings in Uruguay and France, the round of negotiations in Kenya is now the third of five. A summit of states is scheduled to approve the agreement in 2025.

What should be in the agreement? Negotiators emphasize that this is not about demonizing or banning plastic. Rather, the agreement is intended to determine whether and to what extent the production of various plastics will be restricted and by what means this should be achieved. It is also about dealing with plastic waste – both in individual states and across national borders – as well as reuse.

What is being argued about? Many fundamental questions are still open, for example, what actually falls within the scope of the agreement – because the colloquial term plastic includes many different types of plastic. There is disagreement, for example, on the question of legally binding targets and whether and to what extent production is limited. Oil-rich countries in particular want to focus on recycling processes instead of restrictions on production. Different interests also collide when it comes to financing: developing and emerging countries expect to be supported by industrialized countries in coping with the costs.

What do the environmentalists want? Greenpeace is calling for new plastic production to be reduced by at least 75 percent by 2040 and single-use plastic to be eliminated. There should also be a socially just transition to a climate-friendly economy based on reuse. “With global rules that make those responsible more accountable, we can create a fairer value chain for plastic and relieve the burden on the environment,” said plastics expert Laura Griestop from the WWF.

What do industry representatives want? Manufacturers do not want to be restricted in production and instead emphasize the role of recycling. The Plastics Europe interest group is calling for the expansion of waste recycling systems worldwide as well as binding specifications for the use of recycled materials as well as for repairable and reusable products. Manufacturers should also make a financial contribution to waste disposal. “It is crucial to exhaust all possibilities to produce plastics from non-fossil raw materials and to consistently recycle them at the end of their use,” demands the Association of the Chemical Industry (VCI).

What is Austria’s position? Austria has been committed to ending global plastic pollution from the start. Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler is also calling for an export ban: “It cannot be the case that our plastic waste ends up in illegal landfills in Asia or Africa. This will only lead to tons of plastic waste ending up in the oceans sooner or later.”

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