UN conference: how to tackle plastic waste?
Representatives from around 170 countries have been attending a meeting in Geneva since Tuesday to discuss how to reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste. The last UN conference on the subject failed mainly due to resistance from oil-exporting countries. European commentators examine the options for an agreement.
Produce fewer and safer plastics
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung calls for more transparency and less variety:
“To recycle plastic waste, we need to know what it's made of. But this is almost impossible - there are 16,000 different substances that make plastic soft, coloured or stable, and what's worse is that little is known about whether and how these additives affect the environment. But they can already make people ill during the manufacturing process. ... Food won't spoil and detergent won't leak just because the packaging isn't brightly coloured and isn't durable enough to last a hundred years. Enforcing restrictions in favour of the environment and health - in other words, producing fewer but safer and better plastics - is ultimately in everyone's interest.”
Please take a closer look
Although a number of countries have already introduced restrictions on single-use plastics such as straws and bags, the problem lies elsewhere, Expressen explains:
“Most emissions come from other sources, primarily from tyres on vehicles. ... They come from artificial turf pitches and playgrounds which have been fitted with rubber mats for safety reasons. It's unclear, however, whether these plastics actually pose a health risk. The Western world has been living with a lot of plastic since the 1960s, when it became widely used. Studies are few and far between. But in the meantime life expectancy has risen significantly, which could be because of plastic, for example in terms of food safety. Or it could be despite plastic and thanks to other medical advances.”
Children are particularly vulnerable
Plastics not only pollute the environment but are also harmful to our health, The Guardian stresses:
“According to the Lancet report, health-related damages globally add up to £1.1tn a year, with infants and children particularly vulnerable. Carrying on with business as usual, while seeking unlikely technological fixes, will not be good enough. ... A consensus of sorts may be found on the need to eliminate harmful chemicals from future manufacture, and phasing out single-use plastics, which account for half of the 400m tonnes produced every year. That would at least be a start.”
Any joint declaration would be a success
Der Tagesspiegel sees chances for success:
“The fact that US President Donald Trump has passed a decree revoking the ban on plastic straws in the US doesn't exactly bode well. But at least the US hasn't yet withdrawn from the negotiations. ... There have been moments of clarity and responsibility in history: the ozone hole was closed thanks to an international agreement. And these days in Geneva thus also represent an historic opportunity. Because any joint declaration of intent, even if it is not legally enforceable, would at least be a small step towards a more hopeful future.”
How to avoid disaster
In Le Temps, an international group of parliamentarians against plastic pollution describes how success could be measured:
“To achieve an effective treaty in Geneva, it is crucial to put in place some basic procedural mechanisms. This is the only way to prevent a minority of oil-producing countries with close ties to industry from derailing a treaty supported by nearly 100 countries. Without such mechanisms, member states risk ending up with a weak agreement that could lead to decades of deadlock. The ambitious bloc must prove its courage and ensure that the treaty is ratified and implemented in a way that truly addresses the plastics crisis.”