UNEA INC on Plastic Pollution Treaty

Plastic is everywhere. Useful and convenient. Plastic pollution has now become one of the most pressing environmental issues, as rapidly increasing production of disposable plastic products challenges the world’s ability to deal with them.

Every year, we produce four hundred million tons of plastic waste. Every minute, every day, we buy one million plastic bottles, and each year we use five trillion plastic bags, large portions of which end up in our rivers, oceans, our food, and our landfills.

When plastic breaks down, it can create tiny particles called microplastics. Even clothes made from artificial materials can shed microplastic fibres when they’re washed. Microbeads, another type of microplastic, are sometimes added to products such as cosmetics and toothpaste, and end up in our oceans - bits of plastic have been found in every corner of the world, including the deepest ocean trenches and on uninhabited islands.

TACKLING THE PROBLEM

How can we reduce plastic pollution?

On 2 March, the UN concluded its latest Environment Assembly, with the agreement of terms for a global treaty to slow, and ultimately halt, plastic pollution. The UN is aiming to complete a finalised treaty by 2024. When the final treaty comes, we can expect specific targets; requirements for nations to report; measures for national and local government collaborations; measures for engaging the private sector and targets for scaling finance.

But, with COP15 just around the corner, what will the next 18 months hold? View our on demand webinar where our esteemed panellists discuss the treaty in more detail, the importance of supply chain integrity in tackling this issue, and the litigation risks for those who are in impacted industries.

Panellists

• George Gigounas, Partner and Co-Chair, Environmental Practice Group, DLA Piper US
• Cate Lamb, Global Director, Water Security, CDP
• Jesse Medlong, Associate, DLA Piper US (moderator)
• Franz Perrez, Swiss Ambassador for the Environment and the Head of the International Affairs Division at the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment
• Nick Rock, Partner, International Co-head of Safety, Health and Environment & Product Compliance, DLA Piper