This article was co-authored by Gunilla Carlsson, ISWA Plastic Treaty Task Force Leader, and Mostafa Ahmed, ISWA Technical Lead.
Following INC-5.2 in Geneva, the plastic treaty process stands at a critical juncture. Despite significant efforts, the lack of agreement has led to a sense of fatigue and, in some cases, a tendency to step back from plastics discussions due to disappointment with the lack of progress.
At the same time, this is precisely the moment to re-engage with greater determination—when progress stalls, collective action becomes even more critical.
As an accredited observer to the INC, the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) continues to contribute scientific, practical, and evidence-based insights to support the development of a robust and implementable treaty. Building on our statement “Plastics Treaty at a Crossroads”, we reaffirm the urgent need to break the plastic pollution cycle through a treaty that addresses the full plastics value chain. The statement provides a concrete framework for coordinated action and reflects the collective priorities of the waste management sector in the negotiations.
To strengthen our contributions, ISWA is continuously gathering insights from its national members worldwide, ensuring global representation across diverse income levels and waste management systems. These insights are also shared through an ongoing social media series published every other Thursday since 15 January 2026, highlighting challenges, solutions, and opportunities from across regions.
What emerges from this growing body of global evidence is clear: plastic pollution is a systemic issue.
What Global Evidence Tells Us
Across contexts, low-value and hard-to-recycle plastics remain economically unviable and are not recovered at scale. In many regions, gaps in collection systems and financing lead to mismanaged waste and leakage into rivers, coastal areas, and marine environments. At the same time, even countries with advanced systems face persistent challenges, as recycling alone is insufficient and market conditions continue to favour virgin plastics.
A critical gap remains in implementation. Policies, technologies, and solutions exist, but they are not yet applied consistently or at scale. Meanwhile, increasing plastic production continues to outpace the capacity to manage waste sustainably.
What the Treaty Must Deliver
To effectively break the plastic pollution cycle, the treaty must address this systemic imbalance across the full value chain. This requires:
- Upstream action: reducing problematic plastics, advancing circular design, and aligning production with sustainability efforts
- Downstream action: ensuring full waste collection, upgrading dumpsites, eliminating open burning, and strengthening Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems
- Enabling conditions: financing mechanisms, harmonised standards, and traceability systems to support implementation across all national contexts
Without aligning these elements, circularity will remain limited, and plastic pollution will persist.
A Call to Join Forces: One Voice for the Waste Management Sector
As negotiations begin to regain momentum, this is a critical moment for observers to act collectively. On 24 March, ISWA shared these insights during the first observers’ webinar and called for stronger coordination.
We now invite fellow observers and stakeholders to:
- Endorse the statement “Plastics Treaty at a Crossroads”
- Join forces to build a coalition of observers that can collectively influence and support the negotiation process
- Strengthen one coordinated, evidence-based voice for the waste management sector
Reaching agreement will mark the beginning, not the end. The real challenge will be implementation.
Let us join forces to ensure the treaty delivers not only ambition, but real, measurable impact on the ground.
