Invisible plastic: Why banning plastic bags will never be enough

Labourers in Pakistan sort through empty bottles at a plastic recycling factory in Hyderabad, Pakistan on April 30, 2023 [Pervez Masih/AP]

This week, the fourth round of treaty talks by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution concluded in Ottawa, Canada. A major bone of contention between negotiators from 175 countries is whether or not to limit the production of plastic, most of which is made from fossil fuels and chemicals and which causes pollution after use, as it does not fully or easily biodegrade.

Despite several rounds of talks, the pervasive plastic problem remains unresolved. A final round of talks is scheduled to be held in South Korea at the end of this year.