Dear John,

The fourth negotiating session for the United Nations Plastic Treaty just wrapped up, and to our frustration, the U.S. and a few other large countries are failing to do what the science tells us is needed: turn off the tap of plastic production. It’s the only way to stop plastic pollution and its toxic impacts.

Government delegates, activists, lawyers, and scientists from around the world met in Ottawa, Canada to discuss global solutions to what has become an urgent planetary crisis: plastic pollution. Plastic Pollution Coalition led a panel on our Global Plastic Law database and resource center featuring public interest lawyers and activists from Cameroon, Canada, Europe, the Philippines, and the U.S.

We helped to create critical resources to share key messages with the U.S delegation, including a video statement by our notable member Jeff Bridges, urging those involved in the treaty negotiations to create a treaty that limits plastic production and protects human health.

We also presented a powerful letter to the U.S. State Department signed by dozens of Plastic Pollution Coalition Business Members, along with a Brief on Reuse Solutions and Technologies.

The conclusion of this session was a disappointment, but not a surprise. The fact is, industry influence is huge and we are a small team. But we are mighty, and part of a big, global movement. We know we’re having an impact, because industry keeps ramping up their efforts to counter us and our allies.

The final UN Plastic Treaty negotiation is planned for late November in Busan, South Korea, with important intersectional meetings in between. We won’t stop pushing for an ambitious and legally binding treaty that protects human health, especially for those living on the frontlines of petrochemical and plastic production facilities. And we need your help to do it: please sign the petition to tell the U.S. government to take a stronger stance in the UN Plastics Treaty negotiations. Or, if you’re outside the U.S., please sign the petition to world leaders.

With gratitude,

Jen Fela
Vice President, Programs & Communications
Plastic Pollution Coalition