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August 14, 2025

Nations Struggle to Forge Plastic Pollution Treaty Amid Opposition by Chemical Industry and U.S.
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In Geneva, efforts to secure an international treaty to curb plastic
pollution are in doubt on the final day of negotiations. Nearly 100 of
the 184 countries gathered at the United Nations talks rejected the
latest draft agreement as "unambitious" and "inadequate." The proposed
text puts no limits on plastic production and makes no mention of the
chemicals used in plastic products. The plastics industry has been
lobbying heavily in opposition to production limits, as have several
powerful oil and gas-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia and the
United States.


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