Ten US states on Friday called for the United States federal government to advocate for stronger measures in an upcoming United Nations plastic treaty.
They are urging the US delegation to support a global pact that not only includes caps on plastic production but also rejects what they describe as “false” recycling solutions and prioritises the welfare of communities impacted by plastic production.
The appeal, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James and joined by attorneys general from states including California, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, was sent ahead of the final round of negotiations on the treaty, scheduled to take place later this month in Busan, South Korea.
In their letter, they urged the US delegation to extend its position beyond production caps, which had been a notable shift in the US stance following its initial opposition to such limits.
“I applaud our nation’s delegation to INC-5 for their support of a global plastics treaty that will establish meaningful caps on plastic production,” stated the letter. “I encourage the delegation to heed our additional recommendations so we can build toward a more sustainable future.”
As reported by Reuters, the question of restricting plastic production was a central point of contention during the last round of treaty negotiations in Ottawa in April, where prolonged discussions saw pushback from major plastic-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia and China.
These countries argued that the treaty should focus on managing plastic waste rather than capping production, which they deemed less contentious.
In addition to production limits, the letter also called for the treaty to formally recognise the connection between plastic pollution and climate change and to promote the establishment of a plastic reuse system.
The push from state leaders comes after California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil in September, accusing the company of misleading the public on the effectiveness of recycling in addressing plastic pollution.