A Treaty in Tatters – Why the Plastics Treaty Failed and What It Means for UK Industry

The collapse of the UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Geneva marks a critical failure in the global fight against plastic pollution. As Co-Chair of the Environmental Industries Association (EIA) Climate Change Group, I am deeply concerned by the lack of progress and the implications this has for the UK’s environmental leadership and industrial innovation. In my previous role as Environment Minister I was on the front line of negotiations back in 2024 and the UK was a key player in a group of over 80 countries pushing for high ambition for this treaty which included setting targets to cap production with the ultimate aim of reducing harm form plastic pollution by 2040 . However, despite extra time being given for the negotiations, a year on, the talks are in tatters and the consequences are serious.

The treaty was designed to be the first legally binding international agreement to address plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle—from production to disposal. It aimed to:

Cap global plastic production
Phase out toxic chemicals in plastics
Promote sustainable design and circular economy models
Standardise Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies globally

Instead, the negotiations ended in stalemate, with petrochemical-producing nations—such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the U.S.—blocking consensus and pushing for a diluted treaty focused solely on waste management.

Michael Lunn, CEO of the Environmental Industries Association, voiced his disappointment:
“This treaty was our best chance to create a unified global framework to curb plastic pollution. Its failure is a setback not just for the environment, but for UK businesses striving to innovate in sustainable materials and circular economy models.”

The Scale of the Crisis

The statistics are sobering:

Global plastic waste generation has surged to 360 million metric tons per year, projected to double by 2040.
Globally over half of all plastic waste ends up in landfill.
The UK alone produces over 5 million tonnes of plastic annually, with only 9% effectively recycled.
One of EIA’s Members has quoted that Microplastics have been found in 100% of UK canal sediment samples they have analysed, by EIA Member SOCOTEC UK & Ireland report “Building Trust for a Safer and Sustainable World”
The economic cost of plastic pollution is estimated at £2.5 trillion annually, with losses in fisheries, tourism, agriculture, and healthcare
The plastics industry is projected to consume 20% of global oil and contribute 15% of global carbon emissions by 2050.

‘A recent report in The Lancet medical journal stated that “plastics are a grave, growing, and under-recognised danger to human and planetary health”. Writing ahead of the Geneva summit, the University of Edinburgh’s Cat Acheson, Alice Street and Rob Ralston, warned: “Plastics, the evidence shows, are a threat to human health – from womb to grave. They’re linked to miscarriages, birth defects, heart disease and cancer.”’

The report highlights that more than 16,000 chemicals are used in plastic, many of which are not disclosed by the companies making it. Of the 16,000 chemicals safety data is lacking on over 10,000 and 4,200 are known to be chemicals of concern.

Environmental Industries Association (EIA) Member Paul Walker, Senior Technical & Development Specialist who contributed to Building Trust for a Safer and Sustainable World, (SOCOTEC UK & Ireland) who also sits on BSI EH4 Committee – focusing on British Standards in soil, highlights the alarming scale of microplastic contamination:

“Our monitoring shows microplastics are now present in every environmental matrix we test—air, water, sediment. The sheer ubiquity is staggering. We’re finding particles in places once thought pristine. This isn’t just pollution—it’s infiltration.”

British Standards committees are important in informing future plastics policy. The committee, operating under the water standards criterion EH/3/6 and EH/3/2 UK input into the global microplastics work programme. The committee focuses on developing robust, scientifically sound standards for detecting and monitoring microplastics in various water sources—including domestic water, freshwater, seawater, treated and untreated wastewater. These standards are essential for improving accuracy and reliability in sampling methods and enabling long-term environmental monitoring. They also ensure consistency and comparability across organizations and countries and as such the committee plays a key role in supporting policy development and water treatment innovation. All of this is vital to forging a sustainable way forward in our plastic world.

Why the Treaty Failed

The breakdown stemmed from irreconcilable differences over ambition. While nearly 90 countries supported production caps and chemical bans, a small bloc of oil-producing nations refused to compromise. The consensus-based negotiation model allowed any country to veto progress, and that power was used repeatedly to stall meaningful action.

Implications for UK Industry

UK businesses have invested heavily in sustainable alternatives, recycling infrastructure, and product redesigns. As Waste and Recycling Minister I oversaw the introduction of the 5p carrier bag charge which saw a 97% drop in plastic carrier bag use. A ban on a wide range of single use plastics was also introduced from plastic cups, to balloon sticks and stirrers; legislation was also passed banning microplastics in wash off care and cosmetic products and in wet wipes. And crucially the new Extended Producer responsibility scheme is focussing on packaging initially as this is the largest source of plastic. It is aimed at reducing the overall amount of plastic coming to market in the UK and instilling greater emphasis on longer life, reuse and recyclability. So, some major strides have been made in the UK but there is so much more to do and this issue needs a global approach in order to be meaningful.

Without a unified global framework, these efforts risk being undermined by inconsistent standards and continued market dominance of cheap, fossil-based plastics.

As Michael Lunn noted,
“UK companies are ready to lead the transition to a circular plastics economy. But they need clarity, consistency, and global cooperation to thrive.”

EIA’s Next Steps

Despite the treaty’s failure, the EIA is not standing still. We are launching a renewed strategy to:

Strengthen domestic legislation: Advocate for stricter UK laws on plastic production and chemical safety.
Support innovation: Partner with industry to accelerate development of non-toxic, reusable, and recyclable materials.
Build coalitions: Work with like-minded nations to form a “coalition of the willing” that implements treaty elements at national and regional levels.
Empower communities: Promote indigenous and frontline community-led solutions to plastic pollution.
Hold polluters accountable: Push for mandatory EPR schemes and transparency in plastic supply chains.

A Call to Action

It is critical that we do not let this failure stall our momentum. The UK must continue to lead by example, pushing for ambitious national policies and working with like-minded nations to build a coalition for action.

The plastics treaty may be in tatters, but the fight against plastic pollution is far from over. The EIA calls on policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society to redouble efforts. We need stronger domestic legislation, incentives for sustainable innovation, and international partnerships that bypass obstruction and deliver real change.

Let this be a turning point—not of despair, but of determination.

Blog Post by Rebecca Pow, Co-Chair of the EIA Climate Change Group, and former DEFRA Environment Minister