Why the world is divided on plastic as UN treaty talks underway

The volume of plastic in the world and the scientific record of its risks keep rising

Plastic waste pollution in the ocean — a sea turtle swims near some disposable gloves caught in seagrass

Almost every week seems to bring a new report that plastic is even worse than had been thought for both human and planetary health. This week, it’s a paper in the Lancet that warns of a “grave, growing” danger from the rising tide of the material, and puts its health-related economic costs at more than $1.5 trillion a year.

Yet, as diplomats gather for 10 days in Switzerland to negotiate an international treaty to tackle plastic pollution, the world seems further away from an agreement than it did when this process started three years ago.