In South Korea, nations meet in final round to address global plastic crisis

Associated Press

Negotiators are gathering in South Korea in what’s billed as a final push to address the global crisis of plastic pollution. Monday’s meeting in Busan is the fifth time nations are convening to craft a legally binding plastic pollution treaty. On the periphery are representatives from the plastics industry, scientists and environmentalists seeking to shape how the world tackles the surging problem. The planet is “choking on plastic,” according to the United Nations. It’s polluting lakes, rivers, oceans and people’s bodies. Island nations are grappling with vast amounts of other countries’ plastic waste washing up on their shores. The world produces about 400 million tons of plastic waste every year.