In Geneva, global accord in sight on plastics pollution

Geneva is set to host final talks on a global treaty to curb plastics pollution. But major sticking points remain. The Palais des Nations in Geneva is gearing up to host high-stakes negotiations that could seal a historic, legally binding deal to end plastic pollution worldwide. From August 5 to 14, 170 delegations will converge in Switzerland to hammer out this unprecedented global accord. But several thorny issues must still be resolved before the treaty can be signed. Every year, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced, half of it for single use. Less than 10% of this waste is recycled. The rest builds up in landfill sites, soil and seas, or breaks down into micro-plastics that contaminate ecosystems and seep even into the human bloodstream. Global plastic production has doubled in the last 20 years and could triple by 2060, according to the OECD, fuelling a tide of pollution whose health and environmental consequences are still largely unknown. Last-chance ...