Plastics are a mixture of fossil fuels and chemicals, and many chemicals in plastics are known to cause serious health problems. Exports of plastic wastes have been identified as a significant global health and environmental threat, but current reporting systems underestimate the volumes of plastic wastes that are traded globally.
A contingent of IPEN leaders from around the world will gather in Punta del Este, Uruguay this week for the start of the First Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-1) of the Plastics Treaty. About 40 IPEN members from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America will contribute to the negotiations, urging delegates to develop an ambitious agreement that accounts for the health threats from chemicals in plastics throughout their lifecycle.