The session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC 5.2), the main body established to The session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC 5.2), the main body established to address plastic pollution and draft the treaty, focused in its final stages on two major contentious issues: whether to impose limits on the production of new plastics, and how to address hazardous chemicals contained in plastic products and waste.
More than 100 member states of the so-called “High Ambition Coalition,” including the United Kingdom and the EU bloc, advocated for a legally binding international treaty that would restrict plastic production and regulate hazardous chemicals used in manufacturing. On the opposing side stood the “Like-minded Countries” group, led by oil-producing nations and countries with significant petrochemical industries—including Iran, Russia, and Saudi Arabia—who promoted a fundamentally different approach focused more on waste management and recycling than on production limits.
“INC negotiations, like all UN negotiations, follow the rule of consensus—meaning any single country can block any part of the treaty text,” explains Lukáš Pokorný from the National and Regional Centre at RECETOX, who monitors the impact of the failed negotiations on environmental decision-making and priorities through collaboration with international organizations.
This structural weakness became evident when oil-producing states, which view plastics as essential to their future economies, repeatedly blocked efforts to introduce meaningful production controls. Reportedly, even the United States—one of the world’s largest plastic producers—sent letters to several countries urging them to reject restrictions on plastic production and chemical substances.
Plastics All Around Us
Current estimates suggest that the amount of plastic waste will triple in the coming decades, leading to further pollution of oceans, soil, wildlife, and ultimately affecting humans. Plastic production has surged from just 2 million tons in 1950 to approximately 475 million tons in 2022, and forecasts indicate that without external intervention, this growth will continue.
The environmental and health impacts of plastics go far beyond waste. Since the vast majority of plastics are made from fossil fuels, their production contributes to climate change and increases the burden on communities near manufacturing facilities. A more insidious and less visible issue is the spread of tiny plastic particles—micro- and nanoplastics—formed through the breakdown or abrasion of plastic products and waste. These particles have now been detected in soil, rivers, air, and even human organs. Scientists are particularly concerned about the potentially toxic chemicals released during plastic degradation.
“Scientific papers frequently report microplastics found in lungs, placentas, brains, and other parts of the human body, raising questions about how they got there. However, a definitive detection method to prove their presence in the human body is still lacking. Unlike soluble chemicals, microplastics are solid particles, and those above a certain size cannot pass through biological barriers and move within the body. We are currently developing new detection methods that will provide precise information about the sizes and types of microplastics capable of migrating through the human body,” explains Ondřej Adamovský, who studies micro- and nanoplastics at RECETOX and contributed comments to the treaty draft alongside other scientists.
Industry’s Position and the Reality of Recycling
The plastics industry argues that better waste management—not production limits—is the solution. However, this recycling-focused approach faces significant challenges. The global recycling rate currently stands at just around 10%, and structural barriers prevent substantial improvement.
Growing International Frustration
The collapse of negotiations sparked strong reactions from several delegations. French Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher expressed frustration, stating:
“A handful of countries, driven more by short-term financial interests than by the health of their citizens and the sustainability of their economies, blocked the adoption of an ambitious treaty against plastic pollution.”
Looking Ahead
“According to feedback from UNEP leadership and several High Ambition Coalition countries, the failure of the OEWG 3.2 negotiations in Geneva does not mean the end of the treaty process or that a plastics treaty will never be adopted. Politically, countries unanimously agreed in March 2022 to pursue a plastics treaty, but unfortunately, the geopolitical situation has changed significantly since then. Work on the treaty will continue, though it’s currently unclear when dialogue will resume. All countries and organizations need time to reflect on how to move forward meaningfully. The positions of the Coalition and the Like-minded Countries remain deeply divided. We must find a way to build a bridge—or find a path around the divide,” says Kateřina Šebková from the National and Regional Centre at RECETOX, who will be monitoring the next round of international discussions at UNEA7 in Nairobi this December 2025.
