THE GORGE — Part of a broader United States delegation, Sen. Jeff Merkley attended the fifth round of negotiations for a legally binding, global treaty to mitigate plastic pollution in Busan, South Korea, two weeks ago.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
More than 170 countries participated, but as meetings ended Dec. 1, the prospect of a high-ambition treaty all but diminished. While several delegates accused top oil producers, like Saudi Arabia and Russia, of intentionally delaying the process, Merkley noted the U.S. didn’t play a productive role either.
Since plastics degrade into smaller pieces over time, microplastics have been found everywhere on Earth — from the produce we eat and air we breathe to brain tissue and breast milk. Merkley compared plastics to human skin: constantly shedding particles that invade every nook and cranny around us.
The myriad health impacts of microplastics still remain unknown, but a study published in March found that half of patients with asymptomatic cardiovascular disease had microplastics in buildups that blocked critical arteries, leading to higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and death.
“Nobody in America wants their children poisoned by plastic from the moment of birth, yet that’s what’s happening,” said Merkley. “They’re breathing plastic dust, they’re drinking plastic when they’re nursed by their mother or they’re drinking formula out of a plastic container.”
That’s all while an estimated 79,000 tons of plastic waste swirls around the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A loose amalgamation of large debris and microplastics, one study put the total size at 1.6 million square kilometers, or twice the size of Texas. It’s one of five major garbage patches in our oceans.
One way to remediate the pervasiveness of microplastics while science catches up is to start with the source — reducing global plastic production writ large. A group of more than 100 countries, led by Panama, signed onto a proposal that would cap the production of primary plastic polymers, the building blocks of plastics, to sustainable levels.
But the U.S. didn’t sign, representing what Merkley called the “wishful thinking coalition” that sought to acknowledge the problem without devising clear solutions. Since negotiations were based on consensus, effectively giving all countries veto power, Saudi Arabia easily blocked Panama’s proposal.
Reflecting on the collapse reminded Merkley of another United Nations effort: The 2015 Climate Change Conference in Paris where world leaders agreed to keep global warming below 1.5°C based on pre-industrial levels.
“What we know a decade later is that just asking people to do their best with no clear responsibility, no clear goal, no clear standards, no transparency, doesn’t work,” said Merkley.
With the world rapidly electrifying, petroleum-derived plastics is an increasingly important industry for Saudi Arabia. In its annual report, the national oil company, Saudi Aramco, lists “increased concerns regarding the safe use of chemicals and plastics” and the “restrictive regulations” those concerns may cause as threats to its business.
After what was supposed to be the final negotiation session, treaty talks will resume at a later date. In the meantime, Merkley encouraged Oregonians to call their state officials and urge them to address plastic pollution.
“I really think that we need to have the states that want to tackle this have a high-ambition treaty and lay out the vision, then work to get other nations to join it, to sign up,” said Merkley.
Notably, the state legislature passed the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act on Nov. 29, which will create a new standardized list of recyclable materials and mandate that owners of multi-family housing, like duplexes and apartment buildings, eventually provide recycling services for residents.
The act will also establish new packaging fees for companies selling products in Oregon, incentivizing businesses to use lighter, more sustainable materials, according to the Oregon Capital Chronicle. It goes into effect on July 1, 2025.
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