Perhaps the most painful image is that of towering waste dumps in parts of Africa, South America, and Asia - often filled with exported waste from wealthier countries. For the people who make a living sorting through this trash, it is not a choice, but a last resort. They risk injury, exploitation, and exposure to dangerous substances every day, for the slim chance of salvaging something recyclable.  GRID-Arendal has worked to give these individuals - often referred to as the “informal waste sector” - a voice in the treaty process. Through reports, consultations, and even a political theatre performance at INC-3 in Kenya, we have helped highlight their realities and demands. 

As Managing Director Karen Landmark emphasises: “If anyone questions the value of supporting the informal waste sector, I challenge them to visit a dumpsite in the Global South. Then tell me that giving these workers a voice is meaningless. It’s not only meaningful - it’s essential.” The path to a successful treaty is not just about cleaning up the mess - it’s about addressing plastic production itself. Burning or recycling our way out of the problem is not enough. A transformative agreement must also reduce how much plastic is produced, and ensure that what is made is safe and sustainable.

GRID-Arendal stand together with scientists, activists, and organisations worldwide who are working tirelessly to support these negotiations. While many operate outside the negotiation rooms, they contribute with science, campaigns, and policy analysis that inform and push delegates toward ambition. However, fossil fuel interests also continue to exert enormous influence: INC-5 saw a record 220 oil lobbyists present. 

Still, there is room for optimism. The recent establishment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste and Pollution (ISP-CWP) - the pollution-focused equivalent of the IPCC - shows that the world can agree on progress. The successful establishment of the panel is the result of years of UN-led negotiations and represents a major step toward delivering clear, policy-relevant science to guide global and national responses to pollution and emerging environmental threats. 

“Plastics are not just a waste problem. It is a production problem, a health problem, and a justice problem,” says Karen Landmark. “If we fail to limit how much plastic we produce and what it’s made of, no cleanup strategy will ever be enough.” 

As countries work toward a compromise in Geneva, hopes are high for a treaty that is not only strong and binding, but also just and future-proof. A partial agreement that leaves out the upstream causes of plastic pollution would be a missed opportunity for real change. 

 “We have a once-in-a-generation chance to solve this crisis. The world is watching - and expecting results,” Landmark concludes. “A strong, legally binding plastics treaty is the only way forward. We simply don’t have another option.”