Some industry responses pointed to fault lines on what are likely to be the most contentious issues at the United Nations treaty talks beginning next week.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is calling for the creation of a national extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework for plastics, an increased emphasis on the environmental and health impacts for communities near plastics plants and a more thorough accounting of plastics that end up in waterways.

Many nations hope to reduce the half a billion tons of plastic made each year. But pushback from plastic and oil producers, and Donald Trump’s election, could scuttle an agreement.

The strategy focuses on cutting single-use plastics, boosting reuse, and assessing environmental and health impacts.

On March 2, 2022, delegates to the UN environment assembly adopted an ambitious resolution to develop the text of a new treaty by the end of 2024 to end plastic pollution. With 24 days of formal negotiation between almost 200 countries completed,