Plastics - Consciente Colectivo

Global Plastic Pollution Treaty

This topic is linked to the climate crisis, food culture and biodiversity loss (much more than we imagine).

It’s no coincidence that the world’s most polluting plastic companies are the ones producing ultra-processed foods. Yes, those same products we criticize in the labeling process. The culture of disposal has also reached food and single-use plastics are one of the most tangible ways to see it.

Soda bottles
Biscuit and snack wrappers
Chocolate and candy wrappers
Single-use cutlery
Straws

Every year, more than 280 million tons of short-lived plastic products end up in the trash¹.

All of that and more is circulating in our rivers and seas, as well as in the 5,000 open-air landfills in Argentina².

A FACT: Plastics derived from fossil fuel, requiring energy for extraction, processing, transportation, recycling, or disposal. So, the plastic industry is highly linked to the climate crisis. Spoiler alert: guess who opposes ambitious measures to curb plastic pollution… the ultra-processed food industry and petrochemicals, among others.

At Consciente Colectivo, we seek to highlight how the excessive production and consumption of plastics are causing:

Land pollution, loss and alteration of ecosystems

Marine pollution

Air pollution

Serious impacts on human health

Inability to process the waste produced

Open-air landfill La Tosquera, San Pedro — Basural a cielo abierto La Tosquera, San Pedro

A garbage collector at the Duquesa landfill, in the Dominican Republic, the largest in Latin America — Un recolector de basura en el vertedero de Duquesa, en República Dominicana, el más grande de América Latina

Plastic islands in the Pacific Ocean — Islas de plástico en el Océano Pacífico

Waste burning at the Dandora landfill in Nairobi — Quema de desechos en relleno sanitario de Dandora en Nairobi

Worker at a plastic recycling company in Tokyo, Japan — Trabajador de una empresa de reciclaje de plástico en Tokio, Japón

So, what's next?

Within the framework of the United Nations, an international treaty on plastic pollution is being negotiated, which will be binding on the signing countries. Argentina is part of the negotiations for this treaty, which is expected to be finalized by the end of 2024. Why so soon? Because almost all countries understand that this is an urgent issue that requires international, regional and national measures.

The Global Plastics Treaty seeks to address the issue comprehensively, considering aspects such as the design and composition of plastic products, waste management, pollution reduction, limits on the commercialization of waste, among others. What are some of the points that we find relevant? A just transition for those who work daily in this, such as recyclers and urban recoverers. Argentina has a special recognition in terms of Human Rights and it is essential to take this perspective into account when negotiating the potential Treaty. Oh! and something crucial: plastic pollution will not stop until its excessive and intensive production decreases.

From Consciente Colectivo, we participate in some of the negotiation stages and seek to influence so that the positions of Latin American countries are more ambitious and fair.

We understand that all countries have responsibilities regarding this issue, but the magnitude of that responsibility is not the same for everyone. That’s why those who polluted the most need to take more measures and ambition to address plastic pollution.
In the context of the climate crisis, we need to set limits on plastic production to fulfill the obligations established by all countries in the Paris Agreement.
We participated in INC-1 in Uruguay and INC-2 in France to coordinate, raise awareness, and influence alongside more organizations from Latin America, the Global South, and around the world to establish a solid, ambitious and binding Global Treaty.

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