Topics
plastics treaty
July 30, 2025
Scientists outline why using a hazard-based approach would be an efficient, simple, and fit-for-purpose method for identifying plastic chemicals of concern under the forthcoming Global Plastics Treaty; highlight that a risk-based approach would result in costly delays, complications, and uncertainties in identifying chemicals of concern, due to the large number of chemicals, the variable composition of plastics between applications, and the lack of transparency and analytical standards
Reading time: 4 minutes
July 10, 2025
Scientists publish systematically compiled overview on the properties, uses, and hazards of plastic chemicals; more than ¼ of the 16,325 plastic chemicals are of concern; recommend safer chemicals, transparency, and chemically simpler plastics to arrive at safer and more sustainable plastics
Reading time: 2 minutes
April 19, 2024
Letter in Science by 13 members of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty calls for UN Plastic Treaty negotiators to integrate circular economy goal with waste hierarchy principles to encourage sustainable long-term solutions to end plastic pollution
Reading time: 1 minute
March 6, 2024
Policy brief from Scientists’ Coalition discusses how plastics in the food system from farm to table to trash impact human health and the environment; provides suggestions for how UN Plastics Treaty can address the drivers and impacts of food system plastics use
Topics: plastics, plastics treaty
Reading time: 0 minutes
January 22, 2024
Public and political concerns related to chemical exposures, human health, and environmental pollution continue to grow; brief overview of some of the EU, US, and UN policies and projects that FPF is tracking in 2024
Reading time: 7 minutes
November 29, 2023
Meeting in Nairobi ends with no consensus on intersessional work needed before next meeting; Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty represented by 37 scientists, including team members from the Food Packaging Forum; expanded and revised version of Zero Draft based on member state inputs to be published by December 31, 2023; next round of negotiations to take place in Ottawa, Canada on April 21 – 30, 2024
Reading time: 4 minutes
October 19, 2023
Civil society organizations publish database to research, track, and visualize plastic legislation around the world; hope to reach scientists, policymakers, industry, journalists; tool launched in anticipation of the global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Nairobi, Kenya in November
Reading time: 1 minute
October 10, 2023
On the morning of the Food Packaging Forum’s 11th annual workshop, speakers share processes to measure sustainable food packaging while accounting for multiple concerns; three speakers share findings from developing frameworks to make packaging safer, account for tradeoffs, and reduce plastic packaging use; three speakers share how policy is developed at the United Nations and European Union
Reading time: 9 minutes
September 5, 2023
The "zero draft" is a starting point for discussion and amendments ahead of November's Plastics Treaty negotiation in Kenya; each proposed treaty element includes options of varying ambition; Part II focuses on elements of plastics' life cycle, including chemicals and polymers of concern; Option 1 imposes strict limitations, Option 2 mandates minimal usage, Option 3 leaves it to national action plans; Annex A provides potential criteria for determining chemicals and polymers of concern, along with options for development and usage within the Treaty
Topics: chemicals of concern, plastics treaty
Reading time: 3 minutes
June 7, 2023
Diplomats from across the globe descended on Paris, France to continue developing the UN treaty on plastics pollution; Scientist’s Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty members spoke to delegates from every continent, representing 33% of the world’s population; UN secretariat will develop INC-2 synthesis report, create zero draft by INC-3; elements for intersessional work can be submitted until August 15, 2023; INC-3 in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2023
Reading time: 4 minutes
