NGOs urge government to back ambitious plastics treaty

Ahead of the final round of INC-5.2 negotiations in Geneva next week, 20 civil society organisations — including Everyday Plastic, Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth — have come together to write an open letter to Under-Secretary of State to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Emma Hardy, calling on the UK Government to push for a strong and ambitious Global Plastics Treaty.

We are asking the UK to take a leading role in advocating for legally binding targets to reduce plastic production, and help secure a strong, ambitious treaty that truly prioritises human health and environmental protection.

This letter from civil society follows a letter from a cross-party committee of MPs urging the Government to push for legally binding targets to reduce plastic production and ensure protections for scientists and environmental integrity in the treaty process.

The UK has played a constructive role to date and was one of 100 countries to support key proposals in the last round of negotiations. Now the Government must stand strong against fossil fuel lobby presence and align with other advocates at INC5.2 in pushing for an ambitious treaty. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle the plastics crisis. We must not waste it.

Read a copy of our letter to MP Emma Hardy below.


To the kind attention of:

Emma Hardy MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

By Email


31st July 2025

Subject: Civil society calling for ambition to ensure the adoption of a strong and effective Global Plastics Treaty in 2025

Dear Under-Secretary of State, 

As international talks on a new Global Plastics Treaty are set to continue next week at INC5.2 in Geneva, UK-based and international civil society groups are calling on the UK Government to push for a strong, ambitious and legally binding deal that tackles plastic pollution at source — not just at the waste stage. With plastic production set to triple by 2060, this may be our last  chance to tackle plastic pollution worldwide, and the UK - as one of the largest plastic consumers per capita - has a vital role to play. 

We, the undersigned organisations, believe the UK must play a leading role in securing a treaty that truly protects people and the planet. Why? Because: 

  • The UK has one of the highest levels of plastic waste per person in the world.

  • An influx of cheap, harmful plastic from global production is making it harder to build a circular economy here in the UK — it’s cheaper to produce new plastic than reuse or recycle.

  • UK plastic pollution is harming people in the UK and overseas. We continue to export both primary plastic and plastic waste and have allowed an alarming rise in incineration, harming health and the climate.

  • By firmly aligning with other advocates of an ambitious treaty, the UK’s distinct influence will help bolster other key players who may be vulnerable to the influence of vested interests.

At recent UN negotiations, over 100 countries (including the UK) supported key proposals for the treaty. We’re calling on the UK government to turn that support into action. Here's what we want the treaty to include:

  • Cutting plastic production – Set ambitious, legally binding global targets to significantly reduce how much new plastic is made.

  • Banning harmful plastics and chemicals – Many of these are toxic and unregulated.

  • Phasing out single-use plastics – Most plastic items are used once, then thrown away.

  • Better product design – Make plastics easier to reuse, repair and recycle.

  • Support for waste pickers – 40 million people around the world earn an income collecting, sorting and selling materials for recycling and reuse; they need fair pay, safe working conditions, and a say in solutions.

  • Funding for real solutions – Especially for those most impacted by plastic pollution.

  • Strong decision-making rules – So progress can’t be blocked by just a few countries.

As civil society organisations, we’re calling on the UK Government to stand strong in the final round of plastics treaty negotiations, where we expect intense pushback from fossil fuel and chemical lobbyists. At the last round of talks, these industry groups outnumbered every national delegation — including the EU and host country — and repeatedly disrupted progress to protect their profits. 

We anticipate similar efforts to undermine negotiations at INC5.2 and are uniting to support the government in countering industry pressures while advocating for a robust treaty that prioritises human health and environmental protection.

We’re asking the UK to continue to stand firm with the global majority calling for bold action — and help deliver a strong, legally binding treaty that ends plastic pollution for good.

Yours sincerely,

Everyday Plastic

Greenpeace

Environmental Investigation Agency

Tearfund

Surfers Against Sewage

Plastic-Free Scotland Communities network

Wildlife & Countryside Link

Trash Hero UK

Whale and Dolphin Conservation

Friends of the Earth Scotland

Planet Patrol

The Scarab Trust

Fidra

Common Seas

Wen (Women’s Environmental Network)

Marine Conservation Society

City to Sea

Reloop

A Rocha

UNWIN (United Kingdom Without Incineration)




Eve Warlow