Bangkok, Thailand— As UN member states and experts gather in Bangkok to discuss a global plastics treaty, environmental groups demand robust criteria to eliminate polluting plastic products and toxic chemicals used in their production.
Campaigners argue that the Bangkok meeting is a crucial opportunity to address the most problematic plastic applications, including single-use plastics and sachets, which have overwhelmed waste management systems and contributed to marine and microplastic pollution especially in the global south.
"Plastic pollution is a global crisis, fueled by our addiction to single-use plastics," says Von Hernandez, Global Coordinator of Break Free From Plastic (BFFP). "The solution is clear: eliminate these non-essential products and reinstate reuse and refill systems which have been in place before our markets were overwhelmed with sachets and other disposable plastics.”
Sachets have flooded markets worldwide, displacing traditional and sustainable product delivery systems. Multinational fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) corporations have promoted their use in developing countries, leading to an unprecedented and unmanageable surge in waste and marine plastic pollution. Brand audits conducted by BFFP reveal sachets as one of the most common types of plastic pollution across Africa and Southeast Asia.
"Sachet production is skyrocketing, and our waste management systems are already overwhelmed," warns Hernandez. "We need a drastic shift towards reuse and refill solutions."
Campaigners call on companies and governments to adopt policies, standards, infrastructure, and financial investments to support this transition away from single-use plastics.
"Plastic reduction can be achieved by promoting robust reuse infrastructure and widespread adoption of reuse practices,” said Salisa Traipipitsiriwat, Senior Campaigner & SEA Plastics Project Manager, Environmental Justice Foundation. “The Global Plastic Treaty presents a unique opportunity to establish robust global frameworks prioritizing reuse. By setting clear, legally binding targets, the Treaty could drive the necessary changes in infrastructure, legislation, and practice to support reuse systems which would address the root of the plastic pollution problem by reducing the need for single-use plastics and the challenges that come with managing their waste."
This was supported by Tara Buakamsri, Country Director of Greenpeace Thailand who also urged the Thai government “to take this once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the plastic crisis by championing a Global Plastics Treaty that limits production and bans single-use plastics It is essential to reject the empty promises of petrochemical and fossil fuel industries who pursue profit over our collective welfare and avoid ineffective technologies like plastic credits and chemical recycling. We urge the Thai government to pass the Sustainable Packaging Management Act, ensuring it includes provisions for an effective extended producer responsibility scheme, the reduction of use and production of problematic and unnecessary plastic products and incentivize plastic reduction, product redesign, and reuse. The Thai government needs to get this right because our health, climate and environment are at stake.”
Dr. Shahriar Hossain, one of the experts participating in the Bangkok meeting, emphasized the need for the plastics treaty to phase out harmful chemicals and support the development of non-toxic alternatives. "Over 13,000 chemicals are used in plastics, with more than 3,200 classified as hazardous. This classification means that they are officially recognized to be toxic, persistent, or to have other concerning properties. Without addressing this, plastics will continue to exacerbate the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution."
The success of the global plastics treaty, according to Ana Rocha, Plastics Program Director of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) will depend to a significant degree on the provision of a dedicated financial mechanism to enable its implementation. “A just and effective financial mechanism is key for the treaty to meet its goal of ending plastic pollution. Beyond that, the financial mechanism must also support a just transition and create a compliance assistance program to assist developing countries in meeting their obligations under the treaty, “ she said.
Civil society groups have also criticized the exclusion of observers and lack of participation in the intersessional process. In a letter to the INC Secretariat, they urged for public webcasting of the meetings.
"Civil society and rights holders, including Indigenous Peoples, must be recognized as essential stakeholders," said Dharmesh Shah of the Civil Society and Rights Holder Coalition on Plastics Treaty. “We are deeply disappointed that the INC Secretariat and UNEP have not shifted their stance on Observer participation despite multiple representations from the civil society and rights holders groups. The exclusion of these constituencies disregards the fundamental human right to participation in environmental decision-making, a right that is vital for ensuring that the voices of all stakeholders, especially those most affected, are heard and respected"
The Bangkok meetings aim to identify criteria for plastic products, chemicals, and product design, as well as potential sources and means of implementation for a plastics treaty, including financial mechanisms. The outcomes will be considered at the final round of treaty negotiations (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, on November 25 - December 1, 2024.
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Note to the editors:
- Member-states and experts will meet on August 24-28, 2024 for technical expert group meetings to help advance the work of the committee tasked to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution.
- One of the two ad hoc intersessional open-ended expert groups meeting in Bangkok this week aims to identify and analyze criteria and non-criteria based approaches with regard to plastic products, chemicals of concern, and product design focusing on reusability and recyclability. Meanwhile, the other expert group will focus on developing an analysis of potential sources and means of implementation of a plastics treaty, including potential financial mechanisms.
- Sachets are single-use pouches or packets—often made of plastic and/or mixed materials such as paper and metal— that have flooded markets in Asia and the developing world, displacing traditional systems of product delivery.
- In 2019, an estimated 855 billion sachets were sold globally (Greenpeace, 2019)
- Photos and captions are available here. For photo credit: Ezra Acayan, on assignment for Break Free From Plastic
- More references about the plastics treaty negotiations here
- Quotes sheet available here
- Full press kit accessible here
About Break Free From Plastic – #BreakFreeFromPlastic is a global movement envisioning a future free from plastic pollution. Since its launch in 2016, more than 3,500 organizations representing millions of individual supporters around the world, have joined the movement to demand massive reductions in single-use plastics and push for lasting solutions to the plastic pollution crisis. BFFP member organizations and individuals share the values of environmental protection and social justice, and work together through a holistic approach to bring about systemic change. This means tackling plastic pollution across the whole plastics value chain—from extraction to disposal—focusing on prevention rather than cure and providing effective solutions.www.breakfreefromplastic.org
About Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) – EJF exists to protect the natural world and defend basic human right to a secure environment. EJF works internationally to inform policy and drive systemic, durable reforms to protect the environment and defend human rights. EJF investigates and exposes abuses and support environmental defenders, Indigenous peoples, communities and independent journalists on the frontlines of environmental injustice. Its campaigns aim to secure peaceful, equitable and sustainable futures.
Press Contacts:
- Eah Antonio (#BreakFreeFromPlastic): eah@breakfreefromplastic.org | +63 927 827 7960
- Salisa “Yam” Traipipitsiriwat (Environmental Justice Foundation Thailand): salisa.t@ejfoundation.org
- Devayani Khare (#BreakFreeFromPlastic): devayani@breakfreefromplastic.org
