This work is undoubtedly of great interest, especially as we approach the fifth session of international negotiations to finalise the first global treaty to combat plastic pollution in Busan, South Korea.

The study assesses the impact of the eight proposals included in the draft UN treaty to reduce plastic waste, identifying those that would actually bring considerable improvements to the current situation. And, as we always say, the plastic problem should not be tackled from a single perspective, but rather by combining several measures together. Precisely, this study also assesses what could be achieved by combining different measures. According to this study, a good solution would be to combine:

  • A limit on virgin plastic production to 2020 levels.
  • A high tax on packaging consumption.
  • A minimum recycled content mandate of 40%.
  • A $50 billion investment in waste management.

It is therefore clear that [the proposal from] the group of countries that includes plastic producers, [which] focuses on strengthening recycling without setting a cap on production, would not be the right strategy. It is clear that a cap on virgin plastic production must surely be the first step to be taken in the global treaty. What should be decided now in Busan is which cap to set.

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