Plastics Treaty fails: bad news for recyclers

No agreement has been reached at the final stage of the UN summit in Geneva discussing the reduction of plastic pollution.

‘We will not reach a treaty here in Geneva to end plastic pollution,’ Norway’s negotiator told news media. The Cuban delegation complained  that ‘a historic opportunity has been missed’.

A total of 184 countries participated in the summit which concluded a series of negotiating stages. The goal was to reach an agreement covering the entire life cycle from production to recycling and waste.

Oil-producing countries oppose

One of the major sticking points was the demand from many countries for limits on the production of new plastic. However, most oil-producing countries opposed this, insisting any treaty should concentrate only on the treatment of plastic waste.