This treaty could stop plastic pollution—or doom the Earth to drown in it

illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Wired or enjoy below

🗞️ Driving the news: Amid a series of environmental calamities, the United Nations has presented a "zero draft" treaty addressing the alarming rise of plastic pollution
• The treaty contains provisions for eliminating toxic materials used in plastic, addressing the proliferation of microplastics, better management of waste, and more

🔭 The context: Despite being overshadowed by the climate crisis, plastic pollution is rapidly becoming a global emergency
• Annually, a trillion pounds of plastic are produced, and projections indicate a tripling of this number by 2060

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Plastic pollution contributes to the global climate crisis and has pervasive effects on ecosystems, from the deepest ocean trenches to towering mountains
• Microplastics, minute fragments of degraded plastic, have infiltrated the environment and even our bodies

⏭️ What's next: The UN's draft treaty offers interventions for consideration during discussions expected to continue through 2024, with about 150 countries participating
• The aim is to either "protect human health and the environment from plastic pollution" or "end plastic pollution"

💬 One quote: "It is well established that our global plastic pollution crisis is also contributing to our global climate crisis... the increasing shift towards investing into plastic production... is a great concern." (Nick Mallos, Ocean Conservancy) 

📈 One stat: More than 13,000 chemicals are associated with plastics, with approximately a quarter being categorized as hazardous

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