by Anne MacLennan
Plastic pollution is a serious global problem. The planet is littered with plastic from mountain tops to the deep ocean. Plastic production, from fossil fuels, aggravates climate change; Big Oil’s current plans to ramp up production could be catastrophic for the climate. Toxic chemical additives and the ubiquitous waste are other concerns.
There have been great hopes that the Global Plastics Treaty currently being negotiated, will rein in the producers. Civil society and specialist groups are calling for action across the plastics life cycle. They want protection for human rights and the environment, producer responsibility and to move away from ‘false solutions’ of plastic credits, bioplastics, chemicals recycling and incineration. Above all though, production must be reduced substantially.
It was ominous that large numbers of petrochemical industry lobbyists were able to attend the latest round in Ottawa and to influence the decisions made. This round was completed on 29th April and there has been an outpouring of disappointment and anger that, despite attention given to some of the demands, the draft treaty omits any mention of cutting production.
I have just received bare root fruit trees wrapped up in cling film, which is non-reusable and probably non-recyclable. Most single use plastic is for packaging. We can each get back to our suppliers of food, garden plants, clothes – whatever – and request that they rethink their packaging. Review your own household plastic use and think about what could be avoided. Find out what is already being done. You might like to join up with others to reduce and clean up.
