In March 2022, UN member states agreed on a resolution to begin negotiations on an international, legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution, the Plastic Treaty (FPF reported). From May 30 to June 1, 2022, representatives from government, industry, and civil society organizations across the world are meeting in Dakar, Senegal to discuss what will and will not be included in the treaty. In addition to the plenary, multistakeholder dialogues on how to create a just transition to a plastic pollution free economy, the role of civic and youth groups to “transform the plastic value chain,” and redirecting financial incentives and trade were also scheduled.
On May 29 before the official start of the meeting, the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) along with the governments of Senegal, Switzerland, and Uruguay organized a technical briefing side event to share the latest research on the relationship between plastics, chemicals, and health.
Dr. Leonardo Trasande of the Endocrine Society discussed what endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are and the impacts EDCs can have on human health (FPF reported, also here and here). Trasande shared research on bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS specifically highlighting the role that plastic food packaging and plastic coatings can have as a source of chemical exposure. Interested individuals can use the Food Packaging Forum’s FCCmigex dashboard to investigate which chemicals have been measured migrating from food packaging into food as well as to find the research papers where the information came from. In 2021, Trasande estimated that phthalate exposure in the United States costs society $39-47 billion annually (FPF reported).
Griffins Ochieng of IPEN shared the findings from the organizations multiple international investigations into the presence of toxic chemicals in plastic pellets (FPF reported), Bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) in children’s bottles (FPF reported), and how plastic waste in the landfills of developing nations can hurt the local food supply (FPF reported).
The opening discussions for the Plastics Treaty comes at the same time as reports demonstrating that the current way of dealing with plastics and recycling is not working. Plastic recycling in 2021 was around 11% in the UK and only 5-6% in the US. A commissioned report by UPM Specialty Papers and undertaken by Smithers estimates that despite the increasing possibility to reuse, compost, or recycle, 20% of all food packaging will still end up in landfills or burned in 2040. A report from the OECD in February found that globally “9% of plastic waste was recycled, 19% was incinerated and almost 50% went to sanitary landfills. The remaining 22% was disposed in uncontrolled dumpsites, burned in open pits or leaked into the environment” (FPF reported).
References
UNEP (May 2022). “Ad hoc open‑ended working group (OEWG) to prepare for the intergovernmental negotiating committee on plastic pollution.”
Geneva Environment Network (May 2022). “OEWG to prepare the INC to end plastic pollution technical briefing | Health, chemicals, plastics & a non-toxic circular economy.”
Tony Corbin (May 30, 2022). “Analysis shows plastic packaging recovery and recycling dip in 2021.” Packaging News
UPM Specialty Papers (May 17, 2022). “UPM Specialty Papers commissioned study: In 2040 a fifth of all food packaging could still be landfilled or incinerated unless packaging innovations accelerate.”
Beyond Plastics (May 4, 2022). “New report reveals that U.S. plastics recycling rate has fallen to 5%-6%.” Beyond Plastics
Read more
Jane Patton and Tadesse Amera (May 30, 2022). “Op-Ed: How the United Nations could avoid silencing voices during Plastic Treaty negotiations.” Environmental Health News
Valerie Volcovici (May 5, 2022). “U.S. plastic recycling rate drops to close to 5% – report.” Reuters
Judith Enck and Jan Dell (May 30, 2022). “Plastic Recycling Doesn’t Work and Will Never Work.” The Atlantic
