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Mail & Guardian
break free from plasticlatest news & developments
The “hard-fought” negotiations to develop a landmark United Nations treaty to end plastic pollution closed on Friday without agreement and have been extended again
BREAK FREE FROM PLASTIC

South Africa and other countries ignore waste reduction in climate plan

‘If plastic were a country, it would already be the fifth-largest emitter in the world’

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
The minimum lifetime cost to South Africa of the plastic produced in 2019 is a staggering R885,34-billion. (Raneen Sawafta/Reuters)
BARBARA CREECY

Plastic pollution in 2019 cost South Africa staggering R885bn

Yet plans are underway to import more plastic waste into the country and it has not signed global plastics treaty

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
The first round of plastic treaty negotiations saw positive outcomes but oil producing countries, at the behest of big oil and petrochemical companies, could dominate the treaty discussions. (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
BASEL CONVENTION

South Africa won’t support proposed global plastic ban treaty, draft document reveals

Critics say the environment department’s argument that the treaty would be a duplication of existing agreements is flawed

  • Sheree Bega
6 min read