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Geneva Negotiators Fail to Seal Global Plastics Treaty Over Production and Chemical Disputes

Delegates rejected a late draft that stripped binding production caps plus chemical controls after two weeks of negotiations.

Overview

  • Negotiators left Geneva on August 15 without adopting a treaty, as talks concluded in deadlock.
  • A late synthesis text removed binding limits on virgin plastic production and omitted any controls on toxic additives, provoking widespread rejection.
  • High-ambition countries pressed for enforceable lifecycle measures while major petrochemical producers and industry delegates sought a non-binding focus on redesign, recycling and waste management.
  • President Luis Vayas Valdivieso postponed the plenary for further consultations, but divisions endured and no revised draft won support.
  • More than 230 accredited petrochemical lobbyists drew criticism for influencing the weaker text, and no date has been set to resume negotiations.