Demand a Strong, Legally Binding Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution Now

For over a decade, plastic pollution has been recognized as a global emergency. Microplastics are found in our water, food, and even the air we breathe. Marine life and ecosystems are devastated by plastic waste, and communities worldwide—especially in the Global South—bear the brunt of toxic pollution from plastic production and disposal.

This week, the world watched as the much-anticipated UN treaty talks on plastic pollution in Geneva ended without agreement. Negotiators remain deadlocked over whether to limit plastic production and impose global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used in plastics. The fossil fuel and petrochemical industries continue to push for weak, voluntary measures that will not solve the crisis.

We call on the United Nations and all governments to put people and the planet before corporate profit. We demand a treaty that:

• Mandates reductions in plastic production, especially single-use plastics
• Enforces global bans on toxic chemicals in plastics
• Holds polluters accountable through extended producer responsibility
• Centers environmental justice and supports communities most affected by plastic pollution
• Ensures a just transition for workers in the plastics and waste sectors

The time for half-measures is over. We need a bold, enforceable treaty to end the plastic pollution crisis—now.