The sixth round of negotiations on the UN Global Plastics Convention has come to an inconclusive end. Around 180 countries were unable to agree on a treaty text for a globally binding set of rules against plastic pollution. It is initially unclear what will happen next.
The industry is pushing for a focussed new start. Plastics Europe and the German initiative „Wir sind Kunststoff“ (We are plastics) emphasise in unison that a global agreement can only be effective if it consistently focuses on the circular economy. Worldwide, 2.7 billion people still do not have access to a functioning waste management system - a core problem that cannot be solved by recycling quotas alone. What is needed Mandatory national action plans, investments in collection and sorting structures and international mechanisms for extended producer responsibility.
Environmental organisations such as Greenpeace, the WWF and Deutsche Umwelthilfe criticise the failure of the negotiations, but also warn against a „lazy compromise“.
„The effects of the plastic crisis continue to be massively underestimated. In order to solve the problem, much greater attention will be needed in future, including at the highest political level. Nevertheless, a weak agreement would be worse than none - it would sell stagnation as progress. An effective agreement must make clear statements: reduce plastic production, ban hazardous chemicals and unnecessary single-use plastics, promote reusable packaging and provide fair support to the Global South in terms of costs.“
Moritz Jäger-Roschko, Greenpeace plastics expert
Following the failure of the global plastics agreement for the time being, the BDE and the European waste management association FEAD are also calling for more political commitment to plastics recycling. The associations are calling for Germany to introduce the EU levy on non-recycled plastic packaging. specifically for the promotion of recyclates and ends the „plastics privilege“, according to which no mineral oil tax has to be paid for the fossil raw material used in plastics production. Only with fair competitive conditions between virgin plastic and recycled material the circular economy can be strengthened and global plastic pollution effectively combated.
The topic is existential for the packaging industry. Packaging material already accounts for a significant proportion of global plastic production, and the trend is rising. Innovative solutions for design-for-recycling, reusable models and high-quality recyclates are therefore considered key technologies. At the same time, companies are in competition: only with clear, internationally harmonised framework conditions a fair market for sustainable packaging can be established.
The EU continues to be seen as a pioneer. With ambitious strategies for the circular economy and climate neutrality by 2050, it is setting standards that other markets could follow. However, without a global set of rules, there is a risk of competitive distortions. Industry representatives are warning: National solo efforts alone will not be enough to stem the global flood of plastic.
The failure of Geneva is therefore not only a setback, but also a mission. Politicians, industry and civil society are called upon to resume the negotiation process with determination - so that packaging is not seen as a waste problem in future, but as a raw material in the cycle.
Sources: Plastics Europe/Greenpeace/DUH/BDE/FEAD
