Groups seek cap on plastic production amid UN talks

By Zeus Legaspi

It will be impossible to end plastic pollution without dramatically reducing plastic production, a report from the Greenpeace network found.

The report comes as the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics meets in Paris to resume negotiations for the first international, legally-binding treaty on plastic pollution.

Member governments are reported to debate capping plastic production while some countries and corporations push for upscaling recycling efforts instead as part of a greener circular economy.

Greenpeace, in the report, said that fossil fuel, petrochemical, and consumer goods companies continue to urge for plastic recycling but in reality, only 9% of all plastics produced have been recycled while those that are recycled contain a “toxic cocktail of chemicals that make them unfit for food-grade and other consumer uses.”

“Plastics are inherently incompatible with a circular economy,” the organization said.

A circular economy entails extending the lifespan of products through reusing and recycling existing materials, resulting in a reduction of waste.

The High Ambition Coalition, a group of 58 countries, echoed this in a statement, saying the treaty must cap the accelerating primary plastic production globally.

Toxic chemicals in plastics

The Greenpeace report revealed that the plastics when heated during the recycling process, generate new toxic chemicals. These include brominated dioxins and benzene, a human carcinogen, which can be created by mechanical recycling and intermingling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic.

“Since nearly all plastics are made from a combination of carbon (mainly oil/gas) and toxic chemicals, the most obvious pathway is direct contamination, as chemicals from the original plastic products simply transfer into recycled plastic,” the organization said.

Plastic production was also reported to have been causing multiple health problems for workers and communities. Constant inhalation of toxic dust or fumes poses life-long ailments, including cancer and reproductive harm.

“The downstream impacts of overproduction of plastic are well documented, including harming the health of communities living near dumpsites and incinerators,” Greenpeace said.  

‘Set to get worse’

The situation is “only set to get worse” as plastic production is forecast to triple by 2060, the organization warned.

To combat “toxic” plastic recycling, Greenpeace said that the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty must slow down plastic production, promote a reuse-based economy, and institute the “polluter pays” principle for plastic waste management, among others.