Subject: BFFP Newsletter: Global Plastics Treaty at UNEA-5.2, Responding to Coca-Cola’s New Reusable Target, “People Over Plastic” Season One ... and more!
A Legally Binding Global Plastics Treaty at UNEA-5.2
The dramatic surge in visible plastic waste—as well as the advocacy efforts of environmental and health-focused groups to spotlight the harm that plastic causes at every stage of its life cycle—have resulted in massive public pressure on governments to solve the plastic crisis.
Plastic is an international problem, both because plastic supply chains are global and because plastic pollution crosses international borders. However, there is no comprehensive international law addressing plastics.
Between February 28th - March 2nd, the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2) will serve as the opportunity for a huge step towards having legally-binding provisions and obligations covering the entire life cycle of plastics—from extraction, production, use, and disposal to remediation.
National governments around the world, including the United States, France, Canada, and South Korea, are already calling for a full life cycle approach to a global plastics treaty at UNEA-5.2. Will you echo the call?
Sign the petition! Then, take action below to join #breakfreefromplastic members, allies, and changemakers in calling for a legally binding global #PlasticsTreaty.
With caution, #breakfreefromplastic welcomes Coca-Cola’s 25% Reusable Target By 2030
Top plastic polluter The Coca-Cola Company announced a new goal of having at least 25% of all beverages globally across its portfolio of brands sold in refillable containers by 2030.
This is a huge win for the thousands of activists around the world like you who have been demanding refill & reuse solutions for years! Our 2021 brand audit volunteers recorded nearly 20,000 Coca-Cola branded products, representing more pollution than the next two top polluters combined—as has been the case every year since 2019.
As always, we will keep the pressure on Coca-Cola and other corporate polluters until they have finally switched to reuse and refill systems for good!
People Over Plastic – the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) storytelling collective – wraps up its first season by bringing together #breakfreefromplastic changemakers from around the world!
Listen to the new episode to hear from Von Hernandez (BFFP Global Coordinator in the Philippines), Yvette Arellano (Founder/Director of Fenceline Watch in the United States), and Tiza Mafira (Co-Founder of the Plastic Bag Diet Movement in Indonesia) in conversation with People Over Plastic co-founder and podcast host Shilpi Chhotray (former BFFP Global Comms Lead). All six episodes are now available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Break Free From Plastic members in the Philippines: Ecowaste Coalition, Greenpeace, and Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia, recently stressed the need to balance pandemic response and the use of single-use plastics. As various false solutions to the plastic crisis are on the rise, such as waste-to-energy incineration facilities, they highlighted that zero waste strategies are still possible.
The #WeChooseReuse campaign kicked off the new year with two meetings with the European Commission: the campaign met with Virginijus Sinkevicius (Commissioner on Environment, Oceans and Fisheries) and Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice President of the European Commission) to discuss the role the EU should play in making reuse a reality for Europe.
Waste pickers have a critical social, environmental and economic role. Despite this, they encounter many challenges. These can be addressed by building representative organisations that will ensure their voices are heard by governments and society at large.
EcoView Podcast, hosted by Young Volunteers for the Environment Gambia, brings together GAIA, Centre for Environmental Justice And Development, the Kenya Waste Pickers Association and the South African Waste Pickers Association, to discuss strengthening waste picker organising in Africa.
