Busan, South Korea— The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has issued the following statement ahead of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastic pollution, taking place in Busan, South Korea:
“Plastic is an essential material that improves our quality of life in countless ways,” said PLASTICS President and CEO Matt Seaholm. “However, it must be kept out of the environment—a goal shared by our industry and the attendees of these negotiations. We strongly support the creation of an ambitious global plastic pollution agreement.
“At the same time, we are concerned about a number of the provisions that have been proposed that far exceed the scope of the original intent of the process to create an international agreement—including the idea of capping production of plastic, which would harm nearly all U.S. manufacturers without reaching our shared sustainability goals. Moreover, these types of approaches make it unlikely that the bipartisan support needed in Congress would be secured to approve a final global agreement.
“As an industry, we remain committed to collaborating with all levels of government to combat plastic waste. Ensuring that the U.S. economy thrives while responsibly using our resources is a bipartisan priority. We will continue working with anyone who shares our commitment to reducing plastic waste and advancing sustainable practices,” concluded Seaholm.
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, including Equipment Suppliers, Material Suppliers, Processors, and Recyclers, representing over one million workers in our $519 billion U.S. industry. PLASTICS advances the priorities of our members who are dedicated to investing in technologies that improve capabilities and advances in recycling and sustainability and providing essential products that allow for the protection and safety of our lives. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members, and the eighth largest U.S. manufacturing industry, more globally competitive while supporting circularity through educational initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, convening opportunities and policy advocacy, including the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE: The Plastics Show.
