Friends of the Earth International demands for the binding treaty

Untitled APRIL 2024 Friends of the Earth International demands for the binding treaty on plastics Friends of the Earth International is active in the process of developing an ambitious new global Plastics Treaty that seeks to end plastic pollution by dramatically reducing plastic production, consumption and trade, and scaling up system change solutions. [...] The following are our demands: Scope of the new Treaty The new Plastics Treaty must address the whole lifecycle of all plastics and associated pollution, but addressing upstream production controls and trade-related issues in the plastic cycle is of particular importance. [...] Waste pickers and workers are key actors in the elaboration of the Treaty and national plans and policies should provide them with fair and reliable compensation for their public service of waste collection and sorting. [...] 2 Finance for the Global South It is important to recognise the impact of colonialism and asymmetries of development within the implementation, compliance and outcome of the Treaty. [...] Recycling must be a system of last resort and the Treaty should include new control measures on material and product design, reuse and repair requirements, toxins in plastic destined for recycling and toxic emissions from the management of wastewater, gaseous emissions, and plastic residues or microplastics from the recycling process.