As we approach the final stages of negotiations for a global treaty on plastic pollution under the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), we stand at a pivotal moment. With just one more negotiating session ahead, the treaty has the potential to mark a monumental step in addressing plastic pollution globally. However, as the process continues, we must remain clear on its original objective: a binding agreement to end plastic waste and pollution, including in marine environments.
When the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) passed Resolution 5/14, establishing the INC in March of 2022, the mandate was defined with purpose: to create a binding agreement that addresses plastic pollution. Efforts to include broad chemical regulations within the treaty not only risk diverting attention from plastic pollution but also duplicate efforts already underway that effectively manage chemicals. To solve the problem of plastic pollution, we need to focus on that objective alone, leaving chemicals management to well-established frameworks designed for precisely that purpose.
The resolution also mandates coordination with existing regional and international bodies and agreements, making clear that overlapping efforts would not serve the INC’s goal.
Including chemical regulation within the treaty could set the stage for unintended challenges. First, duplicating chemical regulation efforts already addressed in frameworks such as the Global Framework on Chemicals (GFC), the Stockholm Convention, and other regulatory bodies detracts from solving plastic pollution. In fact, the GFC is a brand-new UN initiative adopted in 2023. It is a comprehensive instrument that helps governments that don’t already have regulatory systems create national legal frameworks to manage chemicals and helps government coordinate on global chemical issues. The GFC is already helping countries that lack chemical management programs to implement them. This is particularly important for the developing world where such chemical management laws don’t exist.
Second, additives in plastics are essential to sectors beyond packaging, including durable goods such as appliances, aerospace, construction, automotive, healthcare, and alternative energy. These materials can also support lower emissions and enhance product life cycles, aligning with environmental goals like carbon reduction and resource conservation.
The plastics industry is committed to transparency. The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada is a member of the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA). We are working on an additives database that builds on the United Nations Environment Programme’s “Chemicals in Plastics” report, identifying and documenting nearly 800 unique additives in plastics. This initiative not only supports transparency but empowers stakeholders to make informed, science-based decisions on additives and chemical management.
The plastics and chemicals industry supports comprehensive, science-based regulations—such as the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), its Chemicals Management Plan (CMP), and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the United States—which ensure that chemicals of concern are managed responsibly. These frameworks effectively address chemicals used in plastics, considering their broad applications across sectors. And the new GFC, adopted to unify chemical management approaches worldwide, is poised to support ongoing efforts without encumbering the INC with additional responsibilities.
To achieve a treaty that effectively combats plastic pollution, we urge negotiators to maintain focus. By avoiding a shift toward chemical regulation, the treaty can center on impactful measures like extended producer responsibility (EPR), design guidance, capacity building and technology transfer. Leveraging frameworks like the GFC, Stockholm Convention, and national chemical management programs can address chemicals of concern without undermining the treaty’s primary focus.
By staying true to the original mandate, INC negotiators can deliver a powerful tool in the fight against plastic pollution. We urge all parties to prioritize plastic waste reduction and environmental protection, using the treaty to address the urgent issue of plastic pollution while entrusting chemicals management to the frameworks dedicated to that purpose.