Biden administration makes U-turn on UN Global Plastic Treaty position ahead of US election

16 Aug 2024 --- US administrators are reportedly intending to support plastic production caps and chemical bans in the upcoming UN Global Plastic Treaty, marking a reversal on the government’s stance toward the negotiations, for which it has so far opposed the “High Ambition Coalition” countries, who advocate for blanket rules limiting industrial production.

American plastics producers are branding the decision a “betrayal.” 

The change would align the US with EU member states, and other countries like Canada and South Korea. The final round of treaty negotiations (INC-5) will be held November 25 – December 1 in Busan, Korea, just weeks after US citizens vote in the national general election. 

If the Democratic party wins power and maintains its support for the High Ambition goals, the US would be pitted against major petrochemical-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and China, with whom it has so far been allied in the negotiations.

John Hocevar, Greenpeace USA ocean’s campaign director, says the decision “puts the US on the right side of history,” and that almost two-thirds of the US public support a treaty banning single-use plastic packaging — “human health is not a partisan issue.” 

If Donald Trump wins the election, however, “he would try and do whatever plastics producers want if they pay him enough,” Hocevar tells Packaging Insights.

While environmentalists are rejoicing at the news, US manufacturers have decried the decision. Chris Jahn, president and CEO of the American Chemistry Council (ACC), says: “The White House has signaled it is willing to betray US manufacturing and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports. American jobs will be at risk of being outsourced. The cost of goods is likely to rise globally, impacting those least able to afford it.” 

Trump has pledged to scrap the Democrats’ Green New Deal proposals if he is reelected.“As the White House caves to the wishes of extreme NGO groups, it does a disservice toward our mutual ambition for a cleaner, lower carbon future where used plastic doesn’t become pollution in the first place.” 

“If the Biden-Harris Administration wants to meet its sustainable development and climate change goals, the world will need to rely on plastic more, not less. This is a lose-lose situation.” 

A “seismic shift”? 

If the US government confirms the plans to back a production cap, the move will be a “seismic moment” in the treaty negotiations, according to campaigner Sian Sutherland, head of advocacy group Plastic Planet. 

“This is a significant shift in approach by the US against many other petro states who lobby for a tepid treaty to ensure they can continue pumping plastic out into the environment unabated. It has been clear for decades that the current level of plastic production has been unsustainable, and it’s high time that the US and the other leading economies of the world took their head out of the sand on the disastrous consequences of a business-as-usual approach.”

But plastic industry stakeholders insist recycling must remain the priority, and that production should not be capped. 

Ross Eisenberg, president of America’s Plastic Makers, tells us that “no matter which party controls the House, Senate or White House, we are committed to providing constructive solutions that enable plastics circularity, beginning at the design of plastic products through to recycling.”

“Regardless of one’s political affiliation, plastics contribute to priorities that benefit all Americans, such as modern healthcare, a resilient economy, sustainable cities, renewable energy and public safety.” 

The fourth round of negotiations (INC-4) was held in Ottawa, Canada, in April. Industry stakeholders left the meetings urging further intersessional work before the final round in November, and civil society groups again criticized the presence of petrochemical lobbyists at the talks.

Last month, 133 civil society organizations signed a letter to the UN Environment Programme leadership calling for greater transparency and observer participation in the upcoming ad-hoc inter-sessional working groups, set to take place August 24-28 in Bangkok, Thailand, where committee members will work to advance preparations for the INC-5.

By Louis Gore-Langton