OTTAWA, CANADA — As the fourth session of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to create a global agreement on plastic pollution concluded Monday in Ottawa, AFPM released the following statement:
“American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) commends the significant progress negotiators made on crafting an effective global agreement to end plastic pollution and believes that final agreement is within reach.
“AFPM supports and welcomes a global agreement that eliminates plastic pollution, provides nations flexibility to address unique plastic waste challenges, recognizes the tremendous societal benefits of plastics (including their essential role in achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals), unlocks innovations across the plastics value chain to enable a more circular economy and avoids duplication with other multilateral environmental agreements and conventions. AFPM is encouraged that delegations will meet for important intersessional work prior to the final meeting (INC-5) in Busan, South Korea, beginning in November 2024 to progress work.
“AFPM is committed to working with national delegations, companies up and down the plastic value chain, and other stakeholders to develop a global agreement. If waste is recyclable, properly managed and kept out of the environment, the goals of the proposed U.N. agreement will be met. In the lead up to INC-5, we invite governments to work with us on finding solutions that can help solve the unique challenges countries face in eliminating plastic pollution.”
The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) is the leading trade association representing the makers of the fuels that keep us moving, the petrochemicals that are the essential building blocks for modern life, and the midstream companies that get our feedstocks and products where they need to go. We make the products that make life better, safer and more sustainable — we make progress.