Dear ,
Plastic pollution continues to pose a grave threat to waterways and communities around the world. Unfortunately, delegates at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee failed in December 2024 to finalize an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. However, there is a final session scheduled to take place from August 4th to August 14th, 2025 in Switzerland. This is our chance to deliver real action on this serious problem.
Will you join us in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize the strongest possible global plastics treaty?
Communities throughout the world endure the impacts of plastic pollution. Recently, Waterkeeper Alliance led the International Plastic Pellet Count, where in one week, volunteers from around the world collected 49,223 plastic pellets during 354 counts in 14 countries and 30 U.S. states. This relatively short event underscores the larger problem: plastic pollution is affecting most of the world.
Plastic is a menace at every stage of its lifecycle. It is made from toxic fossil fuels and converted into pre-production pellets, which are easily lost in transport, wreaking havoc on ecosystems. In spite of plastic production going up year over year, only about 10% of plastic will ever be recycled. It begins to explain why so much plastic pollution ends up in our waterways and other places it doesn’t belong, and why we must act immediately.
Specifically, we need to use this opportunity to advocate for a strong Global Plastics Treaty that will:
Include an end to plastics production;
Ban single-use products and packaging;
Transition to a low-carbon, toxic-free, zero waste, reuse-based economy that ensures workers rights are protected; and
Protect human rights of Indigenous peoples, fenceline, and frontline communities who are most acutely harmed by the production, use, and disposal of plastics.
We have the opportunity to address plastic pollution and chart a new path forward and leave the next generation a cleaner and safer world. But, first, we need to act!
Join us in telling Secretary Rubio to negotiate the strongest possible global plastics treaty today!
Sincerely,
Waterkeeper Alliance
