Press Release
For immediate release

CIWM Urges Action on Plastics Following Important New Report 

A new report published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet has reinforced the urgency of the global plastics crisis, with CIWM reiterating its call for immediate, legally-binding action on a new UN Plastics Treaty.

The peer-reviewed study, titled 'Countdown on Health and Plastics', warns that plastics are causing disease and death at every stage of their lifecycle, from fossil fuel extraction to disposal. It highlights the "grave, growing, and under-recognised danger" plastics pose to human and planetary health, estimating the annual health-related economic losses to exceed a staggering US$1.5 trillion. The report notes that these impacts disproportionately affect low-income and at-risk populations.

The findings come as governments from around the world gather in Geneva, Switzerland, for what is scheduled to be the final round of negotiations for a global plastic pollution treaty.

Commenting on the report, Dan Cooke, CIWM's Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs, said: "The timely publishing and launch of the ‘Countdown on Health and Plastics’ Lancet report and global monitoring system reminds us of the challenges and downsides of plastics in terms of the wider economic, environmental and social (health and amenity) impacts facing us all. Eight billion tonnes of plastics now pollute our planet, less than 10% of plastic ever produced has been recycled, and production is forecast to more than double over the next 30 years unless meaningful action is taken.

"The sixth and (hopefully) final round of UN negotiations for a new and legally-binding resolution on plastics pollution (and production), beginning in Geneva this week, provides a crucial opportunity that must not be missed. Aiming to improve plastics recycling will only ever provide a partial solution and it is imperative that the design, production and consumption of plastic is addressed with new rules and parameters.

"CIWM and the Circular Economy Institute have both endorsed the business roundtable statement calling on the UK and global governments to create legally-binding rules, criteria and regulatory frameworks with clear requirements to end plastic pollution, address chemicals of concern used in plastics, and to agree actions and measures to facilitate the transition to a circular economy for plastics. The evidence is clear, we must now see clear leadership and action."

The final round of negotiations follows a previous meeting in Busan, South Korea, where countries failed to reach an agreement. The core point of contention was the desire of over 100 nations to cap plastic production, while a smaller group of oil-producing countries focused only on targeting plastic waste. The new monitoring system being launched by The Lancet aims to track progress towards reducing plastic exposures and mitigating its harms.

For more information on the report findings, please visit read the full article on Circular Online.

ENDS

Press contact:

Kacie Foskett
T: +44 (0) 1604 620426
E: kacie.foskett@ciwm.co.uk