Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations Face Data Gaps, Hindering Progress on Pollution Control
Negotiations for a global legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, which began in 2022, have yet to reach an agreement after five sessions, with another session scheduled for March 2027. A new policy paper highlights a critical issue: countries currently measure plastic production, use, and waste in inconsistent ways. This lack of standardized data makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of new plastic regulations. Lead author Quanyin Tan of Tsinghua University and co-authors Roland Geyer and Douglas McCauley of the University of California, Santa Barbara, argue that a shared reporting system is essential. They propose four key areas for national reporting: plastic production and trade, chemical additives, plastic use in products, and waste management. The paper notes that some plastic materials, like PET for beverage packaging in China, are missing from production statistics, and synthetic fibers are often categorized outside of plastics. Furthermore, the presence of over 16,000 plastic-related... 
