Episode 1789 • • 2:56:23 - 3:05:29
1789: Glop
Plastic Pollution Treaty, Microplastics and Oil Industry
Negotiators from 175 nations are meeting in Geneva to draft a treaty on plastic pollution, with a focus on whether to mandate production cuts. A study in The Lancet warns that plastics contain thousands of toxic chemicals, such as phthalates, which are linked to obesity and diabetes. The fossil fuel industry is reportedly shifting toward plastic production to maintain profits as fuel demand decreases, while the concept of plastic recycling is criticized as a "myth" designed to ease public concern.