The third round of negotiations between representatives of UN member states will begin in the Kenyan capital Nairobi on Monday, to finalise the details of a globally binding agreement to drastically reduce plastic waste.
The hope is that a globally binding agreement can be forged, to minimize the harmful effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health.
According to the plastics manufacturers' association Plastics Europe, 400.3 million tonnes of plastic were produced worldwide in 2022 - twice as much as in 2002.
More than 90% of this was made from petroleum-based materials, even though the proportion of bio-based and recycled raw materials has increased.
The biggest concern is the life cycle of plastic - because once produced, it takes centuries for plastic to decompose again. According to scientists, of all the plastic waste generated between 1950 and 2018, 76% was disposed of in landfill sites or in the environment.
It is estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in the oceans every year. There it causes damage to ecosystems, whether as tiny particles - known as microplastics - or through the release of toxic chemicals.
According to a report by the UN Environment Programme, global plastic pollution could be reduced by 80% by 2040.
In March 2022, representatives of more than 170 countries at the United Nations decided to strive for an agreement on dealing with plastic.
