Plastic Pollution

No agreement yet on plastic pollution treaty; talks to resume in 2025

Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution for a week in South Korea won't reach an agreement and plan to resume the talks next year. They are at an impasse over whether the treaty should reduce the total plastic on Earth and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics. The negotiations in Busan, South Korea, were supposed to be the fifth and final round to produce the first legally binding treaty on plastics pollution, including in the oceans, by the end of 2024. But with time running out early Monday, negotiators agreed to resume the talks next year. They don't yet have firm plans. More than 100 countries want the treaty to limit production as well as tackle cleanup and recycling, and many have said that is essential to address chemicals of concern. But for some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, that crosses a red line. For any proposal to make it into the treaty, every nation must agree to it. So

Indian govt opposes regulating production of primary plastic polymers

India on Sunday said it did not support any measures to regulate the production of primary plastic polymers as it could impact the development rights of nations. This statement came as a global meeting in South Korea's Busan to finalise a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution ended without an agreement. At the closing plenary of the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, tasked with drafting the treaty, India said some suggestions from countries, including its own, were not reflected in the draft text. It sought assurances from the chair that countries would have the opportunity to include their views in future discussions. India's lead negotiator, Naresh Pal Gangwar, said the treaty's scope should focus solely on addressing plastic pollution and avoid overlaps with other international agreements or bodies. He requested that this clarity be reinstated in the draft text. "India would like to state its inability to support any measures to regulat

Negotiators disagree on plastic pollution pact; talks to resume next yr

Negotiators working on a treaty to address the global crisis of plastic pollution for a week in South Korea won't reach an agreement and plan to resume the talks next year. They are at an impasse over whether the treaty should reduce the total plastic on Earth and put global, legally binding controls on toxic chemicals used to make plastics. The negotiations in Busan, South Korea, were supposed to be the fifth and final round, to produce the first legally binding treaty on plastics pollution, including in the oceans, by the end of 2024. But with time running out early Monday, negotiators plan to resume the talks next year. More than 100 countries want the treaty to limit production as well as tackle cleanup and recycling, and many have said that is essential to address chemicals of concern. But for some plastic-producing and oil and gas countries, that crosses a red line. For any proposal to make it into the treaty, every nation must agree to it. Some countries sought to change the

Battle over curbing plastic output jeopardises hopes of UN treaty

The fifth and final U.N. Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting to yield a legally binding global treaty was set to wrap up in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday

UN plastic treaty talks aim for breakthrough ahead of Dec 1 deadline

In an attempt to speed up the process, INC Chair Luis Vayas Valdivieso is holding informal meetings on Friday to try and tackle the most divisive issues

India proposes fund to help developing nations fight plastic pollution

The fund would be modelled on the successful multilateral fund established under the Montreal Protocol, which addressed ozone depletion

World plastic treaty talks enter final stage with countries divided

Plastic production will jump about 60 per cent to 736 million tonnes a year by 2040, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

Cleaning up pristine beaches means spotting plastic waste from space

The rising volume of the waste is an increasingly urgent issue for world leaders: Diplomats will descend on South Korea in a few weeks for the final round of United Nations talks

LA County sues Pepsi, Coca-Cola over pollution caused by plastic bottles

Los Angeles County is taking on Pepsi and Coke for their role in plastic pollution. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, the county alleged PepsiCo and Coca-Cola companies have misled the public about the recyclability of their plastic bottles and downplayed the negative environmental and health impacts of plastic disposal. "Coke and Pepsi need to stop the deception and take responsibility for the plastic pollution problems your products are causing," LA County supervisor Lindsey Horvath said in a statement. "Los Angeles County will continue to address the serious environmental impacts caused by companies engaging in misleading and unfair business practices." Coca-Cola owns brands like Dasani, Fanta, Sprite, Vitamin Water, and Smartwater, while PepsiCo owns Gatorade, Aquafina, Mountain Dew, and more. The two companies have been ranked as the world's top plastic polluters for five consecutive years, and Coca-Cola has taken the number one spot for six years, according to global environmental

Microplastic pollution is everywhere even in exhaled breath of dolphins

Tiny plastic pieces have spread all over the planet: on land, in the air and even in clouds

California sues Exxon over global plastic pollution, firm defends recycling

The investigation mirrors California's previous probes into the oil industry's alleged efforts to mislead the public about climate change, which the state is also suing over

Govt to provide one-time financial aid for coastal waste recycling units

The government will provide one-time financial support for setting up recycling plants for abandoned fishing gear and plastic waste in coastal areas, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Saturday. He announced guidelines for "One-Time Financial Support for Establishing Recycling Plants" while taking part in a beach clean-up drive at Juhu in Mumbai. According to a note prepared by the ministry, the focus is on establishing fishing gear/net and marine plastic waste recycling facilities in the 12 Blue Flag-certified beaches -- which meet global environmental, educational, safety standards -- in the country. One-time financial support will be given to set up 25 recycling units -- 13 for nylon fishing gear and 12 for plastic waste -- near Blue Flag beaches, the ministry said. New recycling units for plastic waste and fishing gear/nets are eligible if they have a valid permit, are located outside the Coastal Regulation Zone, and meet local regulations, it said. Preference

NMCG improves international collaboration to tackle plastic waste in Ganga

The Namami Gange has reinforced its partnership with several national and international organisations to address the pressing issue of plastic waste in the Ganga Basin, a senior official has said. In a recent meeting, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) met representatives from the Netherlands Embassy, Ocean Cleanup, Bharat Clean Rivers Foundation, Central Pollution Control Board, IIT Delhi, National Institute of Urban Affairs and State Mission for Clean Ganga, the official said. The meeting focused on addressing the issue of plastic pollution in the Ganga Basin, he said. Plastic waste remains a critical factor in the degradation of water quality and poses a major threat to biodiversity in the region. The collaborative discussion underscored the shared commitment to finding robust solutions to this growing challenge, he said. During the meeting, Dr A K Vidyarthi from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) stressed the need for collective action to tackle the plastic ...

India should come up with bio-plastics policy with govt support: Report

India should come out with a national bio-plastics policy with fiscal incentives like capital subsidy as well as government support for research & development, according to a report. The report titled Incentivising Bioplastics, a Biopolymer' by EY and ASSOCHAM outlines a strategic vision for transforming India's bio-plastics industry through targeted government interventions and regulatory changes along with educational campaigns and leveraging India's agricultural strengths to enhance sustainability and environmental performance. To establish India as a premier hub for production of bio-plastics, the report calls for comprehensive National Bio-Plastics Policy in India. It suggested fiscal incentives like capital subsidies of up to 50 per cent on eligible capital investments over five years to encourage the development of bioplastics manufacturing and infrastructure. The report also called for regulatory framework mandating use of bio-plastics, implementing QCOs (quality control ..

India tops global plastic pollution with 9.3 mn tonnes; surpasses China, US

Each year, India burns around 5.8 million tonnes of plastic and releases an additional 3.5 million tonnes into the environment as waste, impacting land, air, and water

India leads in generating plastic waste with 10.2 mn tonnes a year: Study

India leads the world in generating plastic waste, producing 10.2 million tonnes a year, far more than double the next big-polluting nations, according to a new study. According to researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK, the world creates 57 million tonnes of plastic pollution every year and spreads it from the deepest oceans to the highest mountaintop to the inside of people's bodies. The study also said more than two-thirds of it comes from the Global South. It's enough pollution each year to fill New York City's Central Park with plastic waste as high as the Empire State Building, according to researchers. They examined waste produced on the local level at more than 50,000 cities and towns across the world for a study in Wednesday's journal Nature. The study examined plastic that goes into the open environment, not plastic that goes into landfills or is properly burned. For 15 per cent of the world's population, government fails to collect and dispose of waste, the ...

How to minimise microplastic exposure from food, water, air, and clothes

Plastic's ubiquity means that avoiding it entirely is impossible. However, there are steps you can take to minimize its presence

Microplastics in all Indian salt, sugar brands: How much are you consuming?

A test carried out on 10 types of salt and five types of sugar, purchased from online and local markets in India, showed the presence of microplastics in all samples

All Indian salt, sugar brands contain microplastics, reveals study

All Indian salt and sugar brands, whether big or small, packaged or unpackaged, contain microplastics, according to a study published on Tuesday. The study, "Microplastics in Salt and Sugar" and conducted by the environmental research organisation Toxics Link, tested 10 types of salt -- including table salt, rock salt, sea salt and local raw salt -- and five types of sugar purchased from both online and local markets. The study revealed the presence of microplastics in all salt and sugar samples, in various forms, including fibre, pellets, films and fragments. The size of these microplastics ranged from 0.1 mm to 5 mm. The highest levels of microplastics were found in iodised salt, in the form of multi-coloured thin fibre and films. Toxics Link founder-director Ravi Agarwal said, "The objective of our study was to contribute to the existing scientific database on microplastics so that the global plastic treaty can address this issue in a concrete and focused manner." "We also aim

World Paper Bag Day 2024: History, Significance, quotes and more

Paper Bag Day 2024 is celebrated every year on July 12, 2024. This day aims to inform people about the harmful impacts of plastic on our environment and provide eco-friendly alternatives