Plastics lobbyists make up biggest group at vital UN treaty talks

Activists protesting outside the talks in Busan, South Korea, earlier this week. Photograph: Son Hyung-joo/AP

Record numbers of plastic industry lobbyists are attending global talks that are the last chance to hammer out a treaty to cut plastic pollution around the world.

The key issue at the conference will be whether caps on global plastic production will be included in the final UN treaty. Lobbyists and leading national producers are furiously arguing against any attempt to restrain the amount that can be produced, leaving the talks on a knife-edge.