People climb buildings and hand out soap to push for a plastic pollution treaty

The Associated Press reports that nations are crafting the first global, legally binding treaty on plastics pollution. The meeting at the United Nations office in Geneva is supposed to be the last and people are getting creative to put the pressure on to get a deal done. Currently, every nation must agree for any proposal to be included in the treaty. If consensus can’t be reached on the last day, the process could become paralyzed. The talks are scheduled to conclude Thursday.

The International Pollutants Elimination Network gave wristbands to UN officials, delegates and plastic waste workers before the talks to measure their exposure to chemicals used to make plastics and show the importance of protecting human health with the treaty. It’s releasing a report Wednesday about the findings.

IPEN cochair Pamela Miller said the treaty is “all about oil versus our health.” Most plastic is made from fossil fuels.

Camila Zepeda, of Mexico, wore one. Zepeda is now leading negotiations for Mexico on an article to address problematic plastic products, including single-use plastics and chemicals.

“I had been reading a lot of research. So I was already sort of wary that we’re already exposed to so many chemicals,” she said. “What I was surprised by, is that all over the world, because this study has been carried throughout different regions, we are all being exposed to those added chemicals in plastics. That is concerning.”

Read the full AP story here.