PLASTIC POLLUTION IS A GLOBAL CRISIS

This statement from the Center for International Environmental Law argues that plastic pollution is a global crisis driven by increasing production and inadequate waste management. It calls for a new global governance agreement that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics, moving beyond a focus on marine litter to include legally binding targets for production reduction, toxic chemical elimination, and the rejection of 'false solutions' like incineration.

• Plastic pollution is driven by massive investment in production facilities, with an expected increase of 100 million tonnes per year by 2025. This growth overwhelms downstream waste management, particularly because over 40% of plastics are used for single-use packaging.
• The impacts of plastics extend beyond the ocean to land, human and animal health, and the climate. Over 95% of annual plastic waste and microplastics remain on land. By 2050, plastics are predicted to account for more than 10% of the annual global 1.5°C carbon budget and nearly 20% of total oil consumption.
• The current global policy framework is described as fragmentary and insufficient to address the plastic crisis. The document advocates for a new global governance agreement with legally binding targets focusing on reducing production and consumption, limiting exposure to toxic chemicals (such as lead, mercury, and phthalates), and investing in zero waste cities.
• Certain waste management strategies are identified as 'false solutions' that should be excluded. These include incineration technologies like waste-to-energy and plastic-to-fuel, which produce greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants, as well as downcycling activities like plastic roading and eco-bricks, and bioplastics.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). PLASTIC POLLUTION IS A GLOBAL CRISIS. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/OEEG-3-Position_-Urgency-of-Plastic-Pollution-Crisis.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. PLASTIC POLLUTION IS A GLOBAL CRISIS. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/OEEG-3-Position_-Urgency-of-Plastic-Pollution-Crisis.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=PLASTIC POLLUTION IS A GLOBAL CRISIS |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/OEEG-3-Position_-Urgency-of-Plastic-Pollution-Crisis.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndplastic, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{PLASTIC POLLUTION IS A GLOBAL CRISIS}}, publisher = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/OEEG-3-Position_-Urgency-of-Plastic-Pollution-Crisis.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }