On February 28, 2022, Environmental Health News published an op-ed by academic and government scientists Bethanie Carney Almroth, Melanie Bergman, and Scott Coffin, urging the United States to support a global agreement to curb plastic pollution. In particular, they recommend a treaty that includes “caps on production of new plastic to prevent further irreversible global damage.” According to the three authors, the resolution put forward by Rwanda and Peru “goes beyond dealing with plastic as a waste problem and considers systemic solutions to reduce, replace, reuse, and recycle plastic effectively.” The op-ed came on the same day the United Nations Environmental Assembly met to begin negotiating a globally binding treaty on plastic pollution (FPF reported).
The op-ed highlights the many studies and investigative reports published over the last few months and years detailing the negative effects plastics have through their entire life cycle. Plastics contribute to air pollution during production and disposal, are a source of exposure to chemicals during use, shed microplastics at all phases, and more, to the detriment of human and environmental health (FPF reported, also here, and here).
All three authors study the effects of chemicals and pollution from plastics (FPF reported). They and over 400 other scientists with expertise on plastics’ effects on humans and the environment signed a declaration on the need for governance of plastics throughout their lifecycles.
Read More
Bethanie Carney Almroth, Melanie Bergmann, and Scott Coffin (February 28, 2022). “Scientists: US needs to support a strong global agreement to curb plastic pollution.” Environmental Health News
Collins, Terry, et al. (February 2022). “Scientists’ declaration on the need for governance of plastics throughout their lifecycles.” Plasticstreaty.org
James Bruggers (February 28, 2022). “Biden could score a climate victory in a single word: Plastics.” Inside Climate News
