World agrees to sign up to a treaty to control plastic and chemical pollution

Over 190 nations have agreed to negotiate a legally binding treaty to tackle plastic pollution on land and sea, and one that will focus on the entire value chain to create a circular plastics economy. Agreement was also reached on creating a intergovernmental science policy panel to advise on chemical pollution and waste.

‘We still have a lot of homework ahead of us….. but the bottom line is we will eliminate plastic pollution from our environment,’ said Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Work will begin later this year, with the aim of agreeing a treaty by the end of 2024.