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Life of Plastic: Uruguay talks inch towards last two days; final decision still awaited

  • December 1, 2022
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Life of Plastic: Uruguay talks inch towards last two days; final decision still awaited

Subject : Environment

In the news-

  • Representatives from 175 countries endorsed a landmark resolution on plastic pollution at the United Nations Environment Assembly.
  • As a result, an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-1) was formed for the negotiations and the first round of negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution in Uruguay’s Punta Del Este is about to end.

Breakout groups were formed and their respective discussions were:

  • Eliminating and designing for circularity (SG1 and SG2)
  • Circularity in practice (SG3)
  • Waste minimisation and remediation (SG4)
  • The eliminating and designing for circularity (SG1 and SG2) group demanded-
    • The definition of terms like ‘toxic’, ‘circularity’ and other frequently used terminologies.
    • Standardisation in product design and the need for financing through schemes similar to extended producer responsibility.
    • The need for capacity-building.
  • The circularity in practice (SG3) group demanded-
    • The role of the private sector on plastic pollution issues be defined
    • The establishment of infrastructure for sound plastic waste management.
  • The waste minimisation and remediation (SG4) group said compostable plasticsshould not be regulated.

The online forum discussions laid emphasis on:

  • The importance of monitoring and tracking, with clear, numerical, and verifiable targets.
  • The need for behavioural changes of consumers.
  • The need for a holistic approach to plastic pollution.
  • Participation in small island developing states, coastal communities, the Global South, and children and youth.
  • The need for transparency and accountability.
  • Closed loops and caps on production.
  • Controls on waste exports.
  • Fit-for-purpose infrastructure.
  • Taxation on virgin plastics and burning.
  • Extended Producer Responsibility.
  • Bans on unrecyclable and single-use plastics.
  • Harmonised design and reuse of plastics.

Major successes are-

  • Focus on the precautionary principle and polluter pays principle
  • Just transition for waste pickers.
  • A group of friends of waste-pickers, a voluntary body made up of representatives of member states worldwide, was formed to ensure that waste-pickers are heard at the INC.

Major drawbacks-

  • National action plans should not have had mandatory obligations.
  • Chemical recycling was still being pushed as a viable solution despite the high failure rate.
  • Industry was inclined towards voluntary action instead of mandates. Governments and industries focus on technology as a solution to the crisis.

Lack of representation-

  • The stakeholder forum was attended by 1,800 participants.
  • Dominated by Europe (24 per cent), followed by Asia-Pacific (21 per cent).
  • Non-profits and governments formed almost three-fourths of the stakeholder groups while there was an eight per cent representation from the industries involved across the plastic value chain.
  • Some groups opposed the presence of companies majorly responsible for plastic pollution.
Environment Life of Plastic: Uruguay talks inch towards last two days; final decision still awaited

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