The Indian delegation, participating in the 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5), called upon member States to develop clear scope and principle for the new International legally-binding instrument on plastic pollution.
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- India highlighted that there should not be any overlap with mandates of other multilateral environmental agreements such as Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and international bodies like the World Trade Organization.
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Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations
- Objective: Create a legally binding instrument to address plastic pollution at its source.
Global Treaties as Models
- Montreal Protocol: Successfully phased out 99% of ozone-depleting substances through unified global bans.
- Relevance: Demonstrates the potential of unified, binding agreements to address environmental crises.
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India’s Position
- Compensation for Developing Nations: Developing countries should be compensated for the costs of implementing control measures.
- Technology Transfer: Emphasized technology transfer that respects “national circumstances.”
- Dedicated Multilateral Fund:
- Grant-based finance for developing countries.
- Additional contributions from developed nations, separate from other financial transfers.
- Governance by a subsidiary body to ensure transparency.
- Approach: Stressed inclusivity, consensus, and the pace of agreement while focusing primarily on financial mechanisms
- Polymer Production: Opposes restrictions on polymer production, viewing them as beyond the UNEA 2022 mandate.
- Support Mechanisms: Calls for financial and technical assistance and technology transfer in the treaty to aid developing countries.
- Chemical Regulation: Advocates for decisions on harmful chemicals to be based on scientific evidence and regulated domestically.
- Single-Use Plastic Ban: Banned 19 categories of single-use plastics in 2022 as part of its national efforts.
- Pragmatic Phase-Outs: Urges practical, nationally driven decisions on phasing out specific plastic items.
Key Events in Treaty Negotiations
- 2017: UN Environment Assembly establishes an expert group on marine litter and plastic pollution.
- 2018: Expert group recommends exploring a global binding agreement.
- 2019: Commitments from African, Nordic, Pacific, and Caribbean nations to support a global agreement.
- 2020: EU member states and private companies advocate for a treaty.
- Business manifesto launched for a global plastics agreement.
- 2021: Civil Society Manifesto signed by over 700 NGOs urging treaty negotiation.
- 2022: UN Member States adopt Resolution 5/14 to work toward a legally binding treaty.INC-1 in Uruguay lays groundwork for the treaty.High Ambition Coalition launched to end plastic pollution by 2040.
- 2023: Drafting of the ‘zero draft’ treaty at INC-3 in Nairobi, Kenya.
- 2024: INC-4 (Ottawa): Rules for prohibiting problematic plastics discussed.
- INC-5 (Busan): Final negotiations for treaty by December 2024.
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What is Plastic?
- Plastic is a synthetic material made from polymers derived primarily from fossil fuels such as crude oil and natural gas.
- Its versatility, durability, and low cost make it widely used across industries like packaging, construction, textiles, and more. However, its non-biodegradability makes it a significant pollutant.
What are Microplastics?
- Microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size, resulting from the breakdown of larger plastic waste or intentionally manufactured (e.g., in cosmetics or industrial applications).
- They can be classified into:
- Primary microplastics: Manufactured directly as microbeads, pellets, or fibers (e.g., in cosmetics, detergents).
- Secondary microplastics: Formed by the degradation of larger plastics due to environmental factors like sunlight, waves, and weathering.
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Need for a global plastic treaty
- Annual Production: Over 462 million tons of plastic produced globally; 90% pollutes the planet.
- As per UNEP, every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes.
- Impact:
- Environmental: Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.
- Health: Risks include chemical exposure and microplastic ingestion, affecting human organs and biodiversity.
- Economic: Disrupts livelihoods and economies dependent on clean environments (e.g., fishing, tourism).
- Projected Trend: Plastic pollution could triple by 2040 without urgent intervention.
Countries that are successful in reducing plastic pollution
- Rwanda: In 2008, Rwanda banned single-use plastic bags and bottles, and integrated the ban into a community service program.
- Austria: Austria has one of the highest recycling rates in the world, with 96% of the population separating their waste into recyclable categories.
- Wales: Wales recycles around 65% of their total waste.
- South Korea: South Korea has a food recycling rate of 95%.
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- India: A recent study published in the journal Nature has revealed that India is the highest contributor to global plastic pollution.
- India accounts for approximately one-fifth of the total plastic waste generated worldwide.
- Facilitator of Climate Change: Plastic contributes to climate change as well. In 2020, it generated 3.6% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with 90% of those quantifiable emissions coming from plastic production, which uses fossil fuels as raw material.
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Global Distribution of Plastic Pollution
- Oceans: An estimated 9-14 million tons of plastic waste enter oceans annually.
- Plastic waste has been found in remote regions such as the Mariana Trench and the Arctic Sea.
- Land and Soil: Mismanaged plastic waste contaminates terrestrial ecosystems, with agriculture alone using 12.5 million tonnes of plastic annually.
- Microplastics leach into the soil, affecting soil health and crop yields.
- Rivers and Lakes: Rivers like the Ganges and the Yangtze are major conduits, carrying vast amounts of plastic waste to oceans.
- Studies show plastic waste accumulation in lakes like the Great Lakes in the US and Lake Victoria in Africa.
- Atmosphere: Microplastics are transported through the atmosphere, deposited even in remote mountain regions like the Himalayas and Pyrenees.
- Biodiversity Hotspots:
- Marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, are at high risk due to entanglement and ingestion by species like turtles and seabirds.
- Terrestrial species, including livestock grazing on plastic-contaminated areas, face health issues.
- Urban Areas: Urban centers generate massive amounts of plastic waste due to packaging and consumer products. Around 36% of global plastic production is for packaging, most of which becomes waste.
- Polar Regions: Microplastics have been detected in Arctic sea ice and Antarctica, transported by ocean currents and atmospheric pathways.
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Initiatives taken to Curb Plastic Pollution in India
- UNDP India’s Plastic Waste Management Program (2018-2024): This program aims to reduce the impact of plastic waste on the environment.
- It was focused on improving plastic waste management practices in India.
- Ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUP): The Ministry of Environment banned hard-to-collect and recycle Single-Use Plastic (SUP) items.
- Manufacturing, importing, selling, and using plastic bags thinner than 120 microns is prohibited.
- Plastic Waste Management Rules: The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022 introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging.
- These rules set targets for:
- Recycling plastic packaging waste.
- Reusing rigid plastic packaging.
- Using recycled plastic in packaging.
- Swachh Bharat Mission: Started in 2014, aims to remove open defecation and improve waste management.
- India Plastics Pact: This initiative aims at transforming the life cycle of plastic.
- By 2030, the IPP aims to:
- Eliminate unnecessary or problematic plastic packaging
- Make 100% of plastic packaging reusable, recyclable, or compostable
- Achieve an average recycled content of 25% across all plastic packaging
- Project REPLAN: Replan stands REducing Plastic in Nature.
- It aimed to make carry bags by mixing plastic waste with cotton fibers.
- Un-Plastic Collective: ‘un-plastic means moving all plastic in a circular economy and eliminating unnecessary plastic.
- This initiative aims to reduce negative environmental impact on the planet’s well -being.
- GoLitter Partnerships Project: This initiative was taken to reduce marine plastic litter from fisheries and shipping.
Global initiatives to tackle plastic pollution
- Closing the Loop: This project is of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
- Aim: To help cities in creating policy solutions to address issues related to plastic waste.
- Global Tourism Plastics Initiative: This initiative aims to cut down the pollution levels from the tourism industry by 2025.
- Approach: Encouraging businesses, governments, and stakeholders to reduce plastic waste.
- UNEP Plastics Initiative:
- Goal: To end global plastic pollution.
- Approach: Shifting from a linear “take-make-dispose” model to a circular economy where plastics are reused, recycled, and repurposed.
- Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP):
- Goal: Take meaningful action to beat plastic pollution.
- Approach: Collaboration between businesses, governments, community groups, and experts.
- European Union Plastics Strategy:
- Goal: Make all plastic packaging on the EU market reusable or recyclable by 2030.
- Approach: Strengthening regulations on recycling and promoting a science-based approach to legislation.
- New Plastics Economy Global Commitment:
- In 2018, UNEP joined forces with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation on the Global Commitment to the New Plastics Economy.
- The agreement unites private and public sector leaders to pursue circular economies around plastics.
- Clean Seas campaign:
- In February 2017, UNEP launched it, with the aim of engaging governments, the general public, civil society, and the private sector in the fight against marine litter and plastic pollution.
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Challenges and Issues in Curbing Plastic Pollution
- Over-reliance on Plastics: Plastics are integral to industries like packaging (36% of global plastic production), construction (100 billion tonnes of waste annually), and textiles (60% of clothing materials are plastic-based). Transitioning to alternatives is expensive and logistically complex.
- Lack of Global Regulations: While 175 nations adopted a mandate for a plastics treaty (UNEA Resolution 5/14, 2022), progress is slow. Key nations and industries resist binding agreements, delaying impactful global action.
- High Costs of Alternatives: Biodegradable plastics and reusable materials are 20-50% more expensive than traditional plastics, deterring mass adoption, especially in developing economies.
- Plastic Lifecycle Issues: Harmful additives and chemicals in plastic leach into ecosystems. For instance, phthalates used in packaging contaminate soil and water, affecting biodiversity and human health.
- Marine Plastic Pollution: 9–14 million tonnes of plastic waste enter oceans annually. Ghost nets from fisheries alone contribute over 45 million kg, causing harm to marine life. For example, sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, leading to fatalities.
- Resistance from Industries: Petrochemical giants, like ExxonMobil and Dow, lobby heavily against restrictions on virgin plastic production. As of 2024, 98% of single-use plastics are derived from fossil fuels, sustaining their profitability.
- Recycling Inefficiencies: Only 9% of plastics are recycled globally, with the remainder incinerated (12%) or discarded (79%). Contamination from food residues and lack of segregated waste collection are major barriers.
- Microplastics Problem: Microplastics from textiles (half a million tonnes annually from laundry) and tyre wear contaminate water bodies. Studies have found microplastics in 83% of tap water samples worldwide.
- Global Trade of Plastic Waste: Developed nations export millions of tonnes of waste to countries with weaker waste management. For instance, Malaysia imported over 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste in 2021, much of which ended up polluting local ecosystems.
- Shortcomings in Policy Implementation: Policies like India’s ban on single-use plastics (2022) often fail due to poor enforcement. In contrast, Rwanda’s strict ban on plastic bags since 2008 has been a global model, proving the need for strong governance.
Way Forward to Curb Plastic Pollution
- Phasing Out Single-Use Plastics: Enforce bans on single-use plastics with strong penalties, following successful models like Rwanda’s ban since 2008, which significantly reduced plastic waste.
- Promoting Circular Economy: Encourage designing products for reuse and recycling, reducing reliance on virgin plastics. Examples include the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s global initiatives for circular systems.
- Strengthening Waste Management Systems: Invest in infrastructure for efficient segregation, collection, and recycling, especially in countries with high waste generation like Kenya and India.
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Mandate companies to manage post-consumer plastic waste, as seen in Germany’s Packaging Act, which funds recycling systems.
- Scaling Alternatives to Plastics: Provide R&D incentives and subsidies for affordable biodegradable or reusable materials, replicating Sweden’s investments in bioplastics.
- Addressing Microplastics: Regulate industries like textiles and fisheries and promote innovations like washing machine microfiber filters to curb ocean microplastic pollution.
- Global Collaboration: Strengthen international cooperation for funding, technology, and knowledge sharing, modeled after the success of the Montreal Protocol.
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Conclusion
Plastic pollution is a global crisis that demands urgent, collective action. By adopting sustainable practices, enforcing regulations, and fostering innovation, we can transition towards a circular economy and safeguard ecosystems, human health, and the planet’s future. A unified global commitment is key to ensuring meaningful and lasting change.
November 29, 2024
