September 4, 2024 15:21

The Biden administration appears to have reversed its stance on a critical aspect of the binding global treaty on plastic pollution promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

This new position, first reported by Reuters in mid-August, suggests that the U.S. might support the introduction of global limits on the production of virgin plastics. This is a significant departure from its earlier preference for voluntary, national-level targets.

The treaty is currently in advanced negotiations, with the fifth meeting (INC-5) scheduled to take place in Busan, South Korea, from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, 2024.

This shift has sparked strong criticism from the American plastics industry, especially from Plastics, the industry association. According to its president, Matt Seaholm, such a move is "not only impractical but will directly harm all U.S. manufacturers without bringing us closer to shared environmental goals." Seaholm also highlighted the environmental benefits of plastics, citing an independent study that found plastics to have a lower overall greenhouse gas contribution compared to alternative materials. He further accused the White House of ignoring these facts in favor of misinformation spread by anti-plastic activists.
Moreover, Seaholm warned that this sudden change could undermine the credibility of U.S. negotiators, especially since such an extreme position would likely not receive the necessary support from the U.S. Senate.

The decision is also being criticized by the American Chemistry Council (ACC). Its president, Chris Jahn, stated that "With shift in position, the White House has signaled it is willing to betray U.S. manufacturing and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports." "This is a lose-lose situation. American jobs will be at risk of being outsourced. The cost of goods is likely to rise globally, impacting those least able to afford it".

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