The Biden administration is reportedly removing its support for a cap on plastic production. Governments from around the world are set to come together in Busan, South Korea on Monday, Nov. 25, for the fifth and final round of negotiations for a United Nations global treaty to end plastic pollution.
Grist reports that White House staffers told advocacy groups last week they no longer see a mandatory production cap as a realistic possibility. Instead, the staffers suggest a flexible approach where countries would set their own voluntary targets for reducing plastic production.
According to Fast Company, this goes against a similar meeting in August where the Biden administration mentioned supporting the limiting of plastic production joining countries like Norway and Peru.
A spokesperson for the White House Council on Environmental Quality told Grist they believe there are different ways to achieve the reduction, which could include a tax on plastic production.
The World Wildlife Fund said over 90% of the plastic that pollutes our planet is made up of single-use plastics like plastic bags and cutlery and microplastics like what is added to cosmetic products.
Some countries and environmental groups argue that voluntary targets won’t be enough to curb pollution and said the U.S. backing out could weaken the treaty.
Oil exporting nations want to focus more on recycling and waste management instead of directly curbing new plastic creation, which could impact their bottom line in the petrochemical industry.