This week, multiple media outlets reported that the United States intends to support more ambitious goals in the global plastics treaty, including measures to reduce plastic production and establish a list of chemicals to phase out globally.

Statement from Heather McTeer Toney, executive director of Beyond Petrochemicals:

“We are hopeful that government officials will soon provide more details on the United States shifting to more meaningful goals for the global plastics treaty. The Biden-Harris administration has demonstrated its desire to address the harms created by petrochemical and plastic pollution. With an ambitious global plastics treaty, the world has a chance to reverse the exponential growth of plastic pollution in our communities and cap the carbon emissions that come with it. As a major contributor to this pollution crisis, American leadership will be necessary to get it done.

“It is clear from the American Chemistry Council’s response to this news that they are only interested in the government subsidizing their lack of innovation through continued inaction to this pollution and public health crisis. There is clear evidence that our climate goals are undermined by the pollution created by the petrochemical industry. Let us be clear, more plastic is not the answer to the climate crisis. We cannot allow ourselves to be held hostage by corporations who not only fail to acknowledge the damage they create but seem allergic to any measure of accountability.”

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MEDIA CONTACT: Matt Smelser, [email protected]

About Beyond Petrochemicals:

Launched by Bloomberg Philanthropies in September 2022, Beyond Petrochemicals: People Over Pollution aims to halt the rapid expansion of petrochemical and plastic pollution in the United States. The campaign draws on the success of the Beyond Coal campaign, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Bloomberg’s Beyond Carbon campaign, to turbocharge existing efforts led by frontline communities to block the rapid expansion of 120+ petrochemical projects concentrated in three target geographies – Louisiana, Texas, and the Ohio River Valley. The campaign also works to establish stricter rules for existing petrochemical plants to safeguard the health of American communities. To date, Beyond Petrochemicals has helped raise awareness and lead timely collaboration efforts using its four pillars of community leadership, data and research, legislation and litigation, and stakeholder engagement to accelerate its goals. For more information, please visit us at beyondpetrochemicals.org and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.