The global plastic waste trade has become a conduit for financial crime, with criminals and organised crime groups exploiting regulatory loopholes to engage in fraud, bribery and money laundering under the guise of recycling.
To deliver on the UNEA 5/14 mandate to promote sustainable production of plastics, which is supposed to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, negotiators will need to agree on a way forward. This briefing presents the justifications for addressing production and outlines the framework for implementation.
The story of textile waste is not just about discarded clothes – it’s about a global system that shifts the burden of pollution from rich nations to poorer ones under the guise of charity and recycling.
Establishing a clear vision for product design is essential to mitigate plastic pollution and reduce toxic exposure in line with resource efficiency and circular economy principles and the waste hierarchy. This briefing presents the benefits of a common global approach to product design and considerations for implementation within the treaty.
This briefing looks at how other MEAs have built in flexibility mechanisms, including the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment.
This briefing note outlines the views of the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) on key agenda items related to plastic waste at the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-17) to the Basel Convention.