Geneva: The latest round of global plastic talks has ended without agreement, as countries remain sharply divided over whether to cap plastic production or prioritise recycling measures.
The United Nations-led negotiations, which began in 2022, are aimed at creating a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution. However, the sixth round of talks has concluded without consensus, further delaying the process.
Around 100 nations, including the United Kingdom and members of the European Union, have supported measures in the global plastic talks to limit production and standardise plastic design to improve recyclability. These proposals have been backed by major companies such as Nestlé and Unilever, who are advocating for clearer product standards and extended producer responsibility schemes to help fund waste management.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Business Coalition estimates that such levies could generate up to $ 576 billion (£425 billion) globally by 2040. On the other side, major oil-producing nations including Saudi Arabia and Russia have opposed production caps, viewing plastics as critical to their economic futures.
They have argued for investment in better waste collection and recycling infrastructure instead. Industry groups such as America’s Plastic Makers have echoed this position, warning that replacing plastics with alternative materials could lead to unintended consequences.
Environmental experts have warned that recycling alone will not solve the crisis. Global recycling rates are currently about 10 percent, with limited potential to increase significantly. Global plastic talks have highlighted that plastic production has surged from 2 million tonnes in 1950 to around 475 million tonnes in 2022 and is projected to keep growing without new restrictions.
The deadlock has frustrated small island states like Palau, which contribute little to plastic pollution yet face severe environmental impacts. These nations have stressed that the lack of progress is unjust and undermines the urgency of the crisis.
Despite the stalemate, the session chair, Luis Vayas from Ecuador, presented a revised text in the global plastic talks that included provisions for tackling hazardous chemicals in plastics and improving design for recyclability, though it stopped short of imposing a production cap. The EU delegation has described the outcome as a workable basis for future talks, but oil-producing states have expressed dissatisfaction, claiming their positions were not adequately reflected.
Environmental organisations have criticised the failure, accusing certain countries of prioritising fossil fuel interests over global health and environmental protection. Greenpeace has called for stronger resistance to what it sees as obstruction from a small number of nations.
The talks will resume at a future date, but the delay means that the original deadline for finalising the global plastic talks treaty has been missed by more than half a year, with no clear timeline for resolution.
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