U.S. Shifts Policy to Support Global Treaty on Plastic Production Reduction

In a notable policy change, the United States announced its support for a global treaty aimed at reducing new plastic production annually. This shift puts the U.S. at odds with countries like Saudi Arabia and China, which prefer focusing on recycling and packaging design instead. The U.S. now aligns with high ambition countries advocating for strict production limits and chemicals regulation.

In a significant policy shift, the United States, one of the largest plastic producers in the world, has announced its support for a global treaty aimed at reducing new plastic production annually. This move, reported by a source close to U.S. negotiators, marks a departure from the previous stance that left such decisions to individual countries. The new position aligns the U.S. with a coalition of 'high ambition' countries such as EU member states, South Korea, and Canada.

Countries like Saudi Arabia and China have argued that the proposed United Nations treaty should focus on downstream measures such as recycling and packaging design rather than production limits. The debate over plastic production caps was a contentious issue in the last round of negotiations in Ottawa, causing delays. The upcoming talks in Busan, South Korea, are set to take place after the U.S. presidential election, adding further complexity to the negotiations.

The U.S. now also supports creating a global list of chemicals in plastic production to be phased out, aiming to avoid a 'patchwork' of national requirements. The White House is set to brief stakeholders on this policy shift, which comes ahead of a parallel meeting in Bangkok later this month. This change follows the U.S. unveiling new policies to tackle plastic pollution last month.

(With inputs from agencies.)