Page 57 - Plastic News Issue August 2025
P. 57
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
million metric tons more plastics have entered The Washington-based organization, which says
the ocean, and that’s why we cannot delay this it is supported by the World Plastics Council
agreement any further.” (WPC) and the International Council of Chemi-
cal Associations (ICCA), says governments must
The Washington-based World Wildlife Fund focus on common ground and deliver an agree-
(WWF) notes that while previous efforts to final- ment countries can implement, and communi-
ize a treaty have stalled, “a majority of ambitious ties can benefit from. The GPPC says that, at the
countries” continue to push for progress, “with heart of an effective agreement, is circularity,
only a small minority hindering momentum.” where plastics are designed to be reused or re-
Much like the representatives who authored the cycled, collected at their end of life and remade
“Nice Wakeup Call”, the organization supports into new products.
global bans on what it deems the most harmful
plastic products and chemicals, global product “This is a critical moment,” ICCA President Dr.
design requirements, financial and technical sup- Ilham Kadri says. “The world cannot afford to
port for developing countries and mechanisms miss this opportunity to forge a robust global
to strengthen and adapt the treaty over time. agreement that helps end plastic pollution. Gov-
ernments have made meaningful progress, and
“The speed at which the treaty went from con- now it’s time to turn ambition into action. The
ception to near completion is exactly what the industry stands ready with the data, innova-
planet needed, but it was never going to be tion and global partnerships needed to support
without challenges,” says Erin Simon, vice presi- implementation. We are not just asking for an
dent and head of Plastic Waste & Business at agreement, we are prepared to help deliver it.”
the WWF. “As we approach the final stretch, ne-
gotiators must remember why we’re here. Our The GPPC says the industry is committed to sup-
planet is overwhelmed by plastic waste, and it’s porting an agreement that can help end plastic
impacting everyone and everything that calls pollution while enabling innovation, investment
this planet home. At the start of these negotia- and continued access to “the essential benefits
tions, the global community collectively agreed plastics provide,” and offers a range of science-
enough was enough, now is the moment to based resources, including:
come together to deliver a path forward.”
♦ ICCA’s Plastic Additives Database, which
Aid from industry aggregates extensive information on thou-
sands of additives to support transparency
The Global Partners for Plastics Circularity and capacity building efforts for developing
(GPPC), which describes itself as a multination- economies to regulate chemical additives
al collaboration of associations and companies used in plastics by leveraging existing data
that make, use and recycle plastics, says it is and risk assessments conducted by govern-
advocating a global agreement to “accelerate a ments and multilateral institutions across the
sustainable, circular economy for plastics.” globe.
August 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 57
