A major pollution incident has occurred along the UK’s East Sussex coast, where millions of plastic biobeads have washed up on the shoreline at Camber Sands and neighbouring beaches following a failure at Southern Water’s Eastbourne wastewater treatment works. The company has admitted the spill was caused by a screening‐filter failure during heavy rainfall, which […]
At the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) in 2022, the world celebrated as resolution 5/14 was adopted, convening an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Since that high point, however, the process has steadily derailed. As we reflect on where we are and how to get where we need to be, in this briefing EIA experts outline the essential conditions for a successful resolution of the negotiations and recommendations for urgent course correction.
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.
At midnight today (9 April), the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission reached agreement on a long-awaited EU regulation to prevent plastic pellet losses in the environment, a major source of microplastics pollution. The decision came in the wake of yet another disastrous pellet spill in European waters off the English coast due […]