Recognising the urgency of the plastic pollution crisis, the United Nations Environment Assembly established the intergovernmental negotiating committee to develop a legally binding international treaty to end plastic pollution, writes Ali Azman
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PLASTIC was originally developed for the benefit of humanity. Because of its low production cost, mouldability, light weight and durability, products such as polythene bags and sachets quickly became popular across the world. Multinational corporations have continued to rely on plastic packaging to ensure convenient product distribution and maximise profits. Yet, this widespread use has created serious environmental hazards for all living beings. These corporations often evade accountability, shifting the blame to consumers and accusing them of a lack of awareness.
Ninety-nine per cent of plastic is made from fossil fuels, primarily crude oil. After refining, a substance called naphtha is extracted and used to produce ethylene and propylene, which are chemically linked to form plastic. These compounds are melted and moulded into bags, bottles, packaging and a host of other products. Plastic is now being produced at a rate 200 times higher than in 1950. In that year, global production stood at two million tonnes; by 2022, it had reached 475 million tonnes. Around 60 per cent of all plastics are single-use, and only about 10 per cent are recycled. From Mount Everest to the deepest seas, even into the polar regions, plastic pollution has become ubiquitous. Every year, 40,000 tonnes wash into the South China Sea, while around 172,000 tonnes flow into Bangladesh and ultimately into the Bay of Bengal. If current trends continue, by 2050 the weight of plastic in the oceans could match that of fish.
The oceans are now home to an estimated five trillion floating plastic particles, effectively turning them into vast refuse dumps. Marine ecosystems are under severe strain: one in three fish contains plastic particles, while roughly one million marine birds and 100,000 marine animals die each year due to plastic pollution. Scientific research warns that by the age of 70, a person may have accumulated up to 50,000 plastic particles in their body. These micro- and nanoplastics are linked to hormonal and reproductive disruption, neurological disorders and various incurable diseases in humans and animals alike. By interfering with DNA and RNA at the cellular level, they may also induce mutations that cause cancer.
The evidence is overwhelming. Plastic pollution is degrading the planet and its ecosystems on an unprecedented scale. It is now well established that plastic, once produced, remains in the environment for hundreds or even thousands of years. It does not decompose, whether it settles in the sea or mixes into the soil, and it steadily undermines the quality of natural resources, disrupting life at every stage.
Recognising the urgency of the crisis, the United Nations Environment Assembly established the intergovernmental negotiating committee to develop a legally binding international treaty to end plastic pollution. The first round of discussions in 2022, held in Punta del Este, Uruguay, marked the official launch of this process. Two years and five negotiation rounds later, there is still no final agreement. At the fifth session, held in Busan, South Korea, in 2024, a draft treaty was published, yet more than 300 core issues remained unresolved. One of the most divisive questions is whether to limit new plastic production.
Opposition has been led by major oil-producing nations such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia. These states have deployed lobbyists to influence the talks, with some 200 industry representatives attending the Busan session as negotiators or observers, a number exceeding that of many low-income and small island states. Their agenda has been to dilute treaty ambitions, advocating voluntary, non-binding measures, focusing narrowly on waste management and recycling, and resisting commitments to cut production. Agreement on Extended Producer Responsibility measures has also failed to materialise.
This is far from sufficient. As negotiations resume this week in Geneva, countries are demanding a treaty with substance, one that will cut single-use plastic production, ban harmful chemicals, set rigorous design standards and secure adequate funding. The global consensus is that a weak accord, restricted to waste management and recycling, will be meaningless. Recycling has already been exposed as a false solution, and single-use plastics are the primary driver of the most damaging environmental impacts.
Bangladesh has been an active participant in the negotiations. As a downstream nation heavily affected by transboundary river systems, it is among the most vulnerable to plastic pollution. It will continue to press for greater funding to manage the disproportionate burden placed upon it by its geographical position. This year, Bangladesh鈥檚 delegation includes not only government officials but also technical experts and community representatives from areas directly affected by plastic pollution. Before departing for Geneva, the Department of Environment held consultations with academics, non-governmental organisations, community-based groups, activists and victims to gather practical, ground-level recommendations.
As the Geneva talks proceed in August 5鈥�14, there remains cautious hope that the international community will deliver a treaty with real force, one that marks a decisive turning point in the fight against plastic pollution. Anything less will be another chapter in the long history of well-intentioned words, squandered time, and worsening environmental catastrophe.
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Ali Azman is a develop practitioner.
