September 13, 2024 – On September 11, Uproot Plastics (a coalition organized by civil society groups based in Korea to ‘root out’ plastic problems) held a press conference urging the Korean government to take a strong stance in the upcoming 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (hereafter referred to as the ‘Global Plastics Treaty’).
The Global Plastic Treaty aims to regulate the entire lifecycle of plastics through legally binding measures on a global scale, with 175 countries engaged in intense negotiations. The fifth and final session of these negotiations will take place in the second largest city of the Republic of Korea, Busan, this coming November. The key agenda is the reduction of plastic production. A number of UN member states have signed the ‘Bridge to Busan: Declaration on Primary Plastic Polymers’, agreeing to reduce primary plastic polymer production. Recently, the United States, the world’s largest producer of plastics and oil, expressed its support for including plastic production reduction in the Global Plastic Treaty.
However, the Korean government has consistently avoided taking a clear stance on reducing plastic production, stating instead that it will approach the negotiation process to ensure the pet-chem industry can smoothly comply with international regulations. It has mainly focused on ‘downstream’ approaches e.g., plastic waste management, recycling, and the development of alternative materials, while sidestepping the issue of production reduction.
In response to this passive attitude, the Uproot Plastics delivered key civil society proposals to the government and sent a policy inquiry requesting the government’s stance on major agendas of the agreement, such as production reduction, reuse, and the polluter pays principle. The coalition seeks to confirm the government’s position and urges proactive action. However the four relevant ministries – the Ministry of Environment; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy – have all declined to provide specific positions, citing concerns over revealing diplomatic strategies.
During the speeches by participating organizations, Froilan Grate, Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific, emphasized that without production reduction, a successful treaty is unattainable. He also pointed out that more than 40 countries have signed the ‘Bridge to Busan’ declaration on reducing primary polymer production reduction in the negotiation process. Grate urged the Korean government, as the host of the 5th negotiation session, to not only work towards fundamental solutions through production reduction but also demonstrate strong leadership amongst member states.
KIM Won, Director of Center for Chemicals Safety and Health Research at the Wonjin Institution for Occupational and Environmental Health, shared the results of a study on how much Korean citizens are exposed to hazardous chemicals derived from plastics. “Phthalate plasticizers and perfluorochemicals (PFASs) used in plastics were detected in the urine and blood of all the citizens who participated in the study,” he reported. Kim stressed that protecting public health, nature, and the environment from the tens of thousands of chemicals and thousands of hazardous substances used in plastics can only be achieved through strict regulation by groups and production reduction under the Global Plastics Treaty.
Following this, LEE Ha Kyung, the chairperson of the zero-waste shop and coop ‘Sanzero’ in Bucheon, Korea, highlighted the challenges faced by small businesses that promote multi-use and refillable products, due to the rollback of environmental policies and the relaxation of regulations on single-use plastics in Korea. She emphasized that beyond individual efforts, there is an urgent need for governmental systems and support to promote multi-use products and refilling system. Lee also criticized the Korean government for focusing merely on waste management, despite the fact that “Plastic’s carbon emission figures take up to 45% when measured from production to disposal,” when viewed from a full lifecycle perspective.
KANG Wujeong, an activist from Korean Women’s Environmental Network (KWEN) pointed out that the microplastic pollution levels in the South Sea of Korea are among the highest in the world. She shared that ongoing research continues to uncover that harmful environmental substances released from microplastics disrupt normal hormonal systems and lead to conditions such as uterine diseases and menstrual pain, which disproportionately affect the health of women. She reiterated that within the context of an unequal structure, individual choices are inherently limited, and environmental justice must be considered. For fundamental change and to break the vicious circle of plastic pollution, it is critical to implement changes at the production stage.
An activist from the Green Environment Youth Korea, GEYK, conveyed the concerns of the younger generation, noting that plastics, used extensively for convenience, will remain on the planet for longer than the current generation, destroying ecosystems and threatening human health. The activist emphasized that the decisions for the future now hinge on the Global Plastics Treaty.
Finally, Uproot Plastics, through its press statement, called on the Korean government to strongly support production reduction as an early member of the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution (HAC) as well as the host of the final INC. They urged transparent and accountable preparation for the negotiation process in line with the spirit of the United Nations to tackle plastic pollution.
In the following performance, citizens depicted turning off a faucet from which plastic waste and ‘plastic monsters’ were pouring. This symbolic act conveyed the message that both the government and citizens must work together to end the global crisis of plastic pollution. Just as turning off a faucet is necessary to stop the overflow of water, reducing plastic production is essential to solving the problems derived from plastics. The performance highlights that achieving an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty requires first turning off the ‘plastic faucet.’
The Global Plastics Treaty is regarded as the most significant multilateral environmental agreement since the Paris Agreement, as it addresses the entire lifecycle of the plastics-from raw material extraction to production, use, and disposal. It is expected to bring about significant changes at international level. Since the 5th INC is aimed to draft the treaty text, it is predicted that more than 3,000 participants will attend, including government delegations, the United Nations Environment Programme, relevant international organizations, policymakers, academics, experts, civil society representatives, and public interest activists from around the world-the largest gathering in the committee’s history. In November 2024, the eyes of the global community will be focused on Busan.
The “Uproot Plastics” is a collaborative effort based in South Korea, involving 14 domestic and international environmental organizations. These include Action for a Carcinogen-free Korea, Almang Market, Break Free From Plastic (BFFP), Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Green Environment Youth Korea (GEYK), Green Korea United (GKU), Greenpeace Korea, Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (KFEM), Korea Zerowaste Movement Network, Korean Women’s Environmental Network (KWEN), Our Sea of East Asia Network (OSEAN), RELOOP, Seoul Korea Federation for Environmental Movements (Seoul KFEM), and Wonjin Institute for Occupational and Environmental Health (WIOEH). The coalition is working together by attending INC sessions, hosting forums, running public campaigns, and holding press conferences in support of an ambitious global plastics treaty.
Uproot Plastics performs a symbolic act of turning off a faucet from which plastic waste and ‘plastic monsters’ are pouring out.