Box 1 The global plastics treaty

The Global Plastics Treaty will be the outcome of a series of ongoing intergovernmental negotiations to develop a legally binding global agreement on plastics pollution. Set in motion through a resolution among United Nations member states in 2022, negotiations toward this multilateral environmental agreement reflect international recognition of plastic pollution as a system level threat to Earth and humankind

Given the hazards that plastics and their associated chemicals of concern pose to humans, including through their role in supporting UPFs, the treaty negotiations represent a valuable opportunity to protect and promote human health globally [60]. Yet, there is a risk that its scope may be narrowed with a disproportionate focus on ‘downstream’ measures, such as recycling. A more ambitious treaty would take a life cycle approach to plastic pollution, with an emphasis on reducing and simplifying plastics and chemical production according to clear safety, sustainability, transparency, and essentiality criteria [61]