In the past two years, plastic particles were reported to have been found in human lungs, blood, and placenta. Studies have linked exponential growth in plastic pollution to unsustainable production and consumption patterns, resulting in wide-ranging impacts on human health and the health of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Between 8 million and 12 million tonnes of plastic leak into the marine environment each year – a number that is expected to more than triple by 2050. Approximately 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic have been produced since the 1950s, of which 6.3 billion tonnes are now waste. “As plastic pollution becomes ever more visible both on land and in waterways, calls to tackle the mounting plastic waste crisis have reverberated around the world,” notes the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary of the meeting. Multi-stakeholder dialogues convened in parallel, bringing together representatives of communities directly affected by plastic pollution, as well as corporate interests with stakes in the plastics value chain, among other actors who will be affected by a future instrument. Governments have set out the schedule of negotiations towards a plastic pollution treaty, and elaborated rules of procedure.

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