Négociation du traité sur le plastique

Appel de plus de 90 associations pour l’accès universel aux services d’eau et l’arrêt de la production des bouteilles en plastique

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À l’approche de la 5ème session de négociations du traité international contre la pollution plastique, prévu le 25 novembre 2024 à Busan (Corée du Sud), la Coalition Eau appelle les négociateurs, aux côtés de plus de 90 associations du monde entier, à :

  • soutenir l’accès universel aux services d’eau
  • réduire la production mondiale de plastique
  • réduire les plastiques à usage unique et tout particulièrement les bouteilles qui sont le deuxième déchet plastique le plus polluant à l’échelle mondiale.

Call to support universal access to water services and to stop plastic bottles expansion

NGOs across the world urge the Global Plastics Treaty negotiators to strongly reduce plastic bottle production and to support universal access to water services. 

Distinguished Delegates and Chair of the International Negotiation Committee for a Global Plastics Treaty,

In view of the upcoming fifth round of negotiations on an international legally binding instrument (ILIB) on plastic pollution (INC-5), the civil society organisations signatories to this letter would like to insist on the importance of including strong measures to reduce the production and consumption of plastic bottles and support instead access to safe drinking water for all.

Human health and the human right to safe drinking water for all are threatened by plastic pollution and the expansion of plastic bottled water markets. We call to support universal access to water services and to stop plastic bottles expansion.

Plastic poses an ongoing crisis for human health, due to its pollution and to the increasing hazardous chemicals and microplastics releases exposure, which imply the application of the precautionary approach. The effects on health of chemicals present in plastic products, including bottles, are well documented and there is growing evidence about microplastic presence in critical human organs and bloodstream[1].

Plastic bottles are a main source of human exposure to toxic chemicals[2] and microplastics, leaking from bottle production facilities as well as from the packaging into the water it contains. A study published in January 2024[3] has found an average of 240,000 particles from seven different types of plastic in plastic bottles, mostly in the form of nano plastics.

Moreover, the rapidly-growing bottled water industry (+73% in the past ten years) can undermine progress towards a key sustainable development goal – safe water for all-, as an United Nations University report[4]  recently revealed.

The report concludes that unrestricted expansion of the bottled water industry is not aligned strategically with the goal of providing universal access to drinking water, distracting attention and resources from accelerated public water supply systems development. Besides, the report highlights the lack of transparency of the bottled water industry, the growing contamination cases all over the world, and the threat to a sustainable management of groundwater resources. The European Commission also denounced in July 2024 fraud in the natural mineral waters and spring waters sector [5] with potential consequences on human health.

Furthermore, bottled water per litre can cost 150 to 1,000 times more[6]  than the price a municipality charges for tap water. Thereby, affordable access to water, which is an essential criterion of the human right to water, is not guaranteed.

We call to support universal access to water services and to stop plastic bottles expansion.

Estimates[7] suggest that less than half of what the world pays for bottled water annually would be sufficient to ensure clean tap water access for hundreds of millions of people without it – for years.

We call for an elimination, or at least a strong reduction, of all kinds of single use plastics, especially plastic bottles, which are a main cause of plastic damages on environment and health

The Plastic Treaty text should absolutely consider plastic bottles as a main problematic and easily avoidable single use plastic product (where possible) regarding : 

  • the burden of plastic bottles[8] in plastic pollution, and the risks due to the release of microplastics ;
  • the fact that plastic bottles are avoidable easily in most areas, as almost 5 billion people already have access to safe drinking water and as 2 billion people should also reach this goal in 2030. Indeed, number six of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals plans to “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all in 2030.”

We stress that plastic bottles (including cardboard bottles lined with plastic and water sachets) should be eliminated where possible, or strongly reduced, in the section of the treaty speaking of problematic, avoidable, single use plastics and microplastics.

National or local examples of strong plastic bottles reduction and ban policies are increasing (I.e. ban in France in 2040 and reduction of half of the sales in 2030, bans in cities in Canada, Australia and the United States) and should inspire the delegates.

Reduction of plastic bottles, and of all kinds of single use plastics, should be supported by ambitious EPR mechanisms, extended to waste prevention, reduction and reuse.

The waste hierarchy is also a main principle to financial mechanisms and technical support, that could inter connect with funding and support needed for access to water and promotion of tap water.

We need controls on plastic production, which threatens planetary boundaries and climate action

In 2019, plastics generated 1.8 billion metric tonnes  of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions—3.4 percent of global emissions—with 90 percent associated with plastics production and, by 2050, these emissions could quadruple to 15 percent of global emissions[9].

It is imperative that the new instrument is designed not only to protect human health and the environment from plastic pollution but that it is also crafted to keep us on track for a 1.5 °C world. Recent studies have demonstrated that without legally binding measures to freeze and phase-down the production of primary polymers, our best-case scenario is merely a stabilisation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at their current levels. These levels are already undermining the attainment of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal.

A freeze and phase-down in production to sustainable levels is also a priority to enable effective measures in the rest of the life cycle. Waste management systems are completely overwhelmed despite demand reduction measures and massive investments, and controls in production are needed to enable effective and safer solutions.

As plastic bottles are a main driver of plastic production, a strong reduction of these products will help to cap and reduce global production.

Sincerely,

First signatories :

  1. Muriel Papin, No Plastic In My Sea, France, Core Member of the global movement Break Break Free From Plastic
  2. Sandra Métayer, Coalition Eau, France
  3. Sarah Dousse, International Secretariat for Water – Solidarity Water, Europe and Worldwide
  4. Antoinette Vermilye and Laurianne Trimoulla, Gallifrey Foundation, Switzerland
  5. Dianna Cohen, Plastic Pollution Coalition, United States
  6. Jackie Nuñez, The Last Plastic Straw, USA, Puerto Rico, South America, Caribbean, Europe
  7. Ibrahim Bechrouri, Ekō, Global
  8. Lorena Paez Brito, Instituto Mexicano de Desarrollo Humano y Aprovechamiento Sustentable SC IMDESU SC, México
  9. Ana G. Dewar, Retorna, Global
  10. Laura Martinez, Sociedad de Historia Natural Niparajá, México
  11. Axèle Gibert, France Nature Environnement, France
  12. Magali Payen, On Est Prêt, France
  13. Aziz Faye, POSCEAS, Sénégal
  14. Pauline Debrabandere, Zero Waste France, France
  15. Ana Rocha, Nipe Fagio, Tanzania
  16. Luc  Arnaud, GRET,  France
  17. Julien Lallemand, Association Sillages, Réunion Island (France)
  18. Samuel Höller, a tip: tap e.V, Germany
  19. Jules Vagner, Objectif Zéro Plastique, France
  20. Sarah Ehrlich, Free Tap Water, in Belgium
  21. Piotr Barczak, Polish Zero Waste Association, Poland
  22. Olivia Skordi and Sara Mariza, Vryonidi,  Friends of the Earth Cyprus, Cyprus
  23. Valentina Muñoz, Sciaena, Portugal
  24. Marco Capovilla, Venice Tap Water, Italia
  25. Lucien Delorme, Hydraulique Sans Frontières, France
  26. Nathalie Tehio, LDH (Ligue des droits de l’Homme), France
  27. France Yannick Champain, Ligue des droits de l’Homme Pays Soissonnais, France
  28. Sarah Ehrlich, Free Tap Water in Belgium, Belgium
  29. Sophie Lehideux,  Kynarou,  France
  30. Irena  Burba, Association Green Istria, Croatia
  31. Ana Marija   Mileusnic, Zelena akcija / FoE Croatia, Croatia
  32. Sofia  Ribas Plastic Free Ibiza & Formentera (Alliance), Spain (Balearics)
  33. Elena Jaume Muelbaier,  Fundación Cleanwave, Spain/Balearics
  34. Vanessa Charlotte,  Coordination Eau Ile-de-France,  France
  35. Zoran Lalic, Tatavaka,  Croatia
  36. Marco Musso, European Environmental Bureau, Europe
  37. Jeroen Dagevos, Plastic Soup Foundation, the Netherlands
  38. Gilles Bogo, Hydraulique Sans Frontières, France
  39. Cecilia Bianco, Taller Ecologista, Argentina
  40. Vanessa Olivares, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, México
  41. Iyari Espinoza, Grupo de investigación de mamiferos marinos, México
  42. Rosemarie Zehetgruber, Waterschools Vienna, Austria
  43. Jean-Pierre Mahe et Eric Buchet, Experts Solidaires, France
  44. Loic Monjour, E.A.S.T, Eau Agriculuture Santé en Milieu Tropical, France
  45. Gabrielle Kuzak et Eve Warlow, City to Sea, UK
  46. Chloé Schwizgebel, Fair Resource Foundation, The Netherlands; Belgium
  47. Margot Clarys et Perrine Benoist , Action Contre la Faim France, France
  48. Oscar Velez, Revive Mexico, Mexico
  49. Mayra Victoria Gutiérrez Sandoval, Ponguinguiola, México
  50. Daniel Aguirre-Ayala, Marine Mammal Research Group (GRIMMA), México
  51. Francisco Alcocer y Lozano, Los Cabos Coastkeeper: Flora and Fauna Protection Area, México
  52. Froilan Esquinca Cano, UICN CEM México Focal Point, México
  53. Mark Johnston, The Scarab Trust, United Kingdom
  54. Mauricio Cornaglia, Campaña Plurinacional en Defensa del Agua para la Vida, Argentina
  55. Sylvie Platel, WECF France, France
  56. Serge Doussant, Green Vientiane, Laos
  57. Alejandra Parra, Red de Acción por los Derechos Ambientales RADA, Chile
  58. Maria Eugenia Gil-Beroes, Fundación Aguaclara, Venezuela
  59. Marisol Landau, Fundación de Acción Social por Panamá FAS, Panama
  60. Larisa de Orbe, Red Mexicana de Acción Ecológica, México
  61. Anne-Christelle Beauvois, 1 Déchet Par Jour, France
  62. Jean-Michel Damiens, eau secours 62, France
  63. Nathalie Seguin, Redes del Agua, México
  64. Sofie Van Canegem, Naturvernforbundet, Norway
  65. Jan Dell, The Last Beach Cleanup, Global
  66. Frédérique Mongodin, Seas At Risk, Belgium
  67. Patricia Reina Toresano, Vivir sin plástico, Spain
  68. Seema Prabhu, Trash Hero World, Global
  69. György Szabó, Humusz Szövetség, Hungary
  70. Anne Aittomaki, Plastic Change, Europe
  71. Katja Sreš, Ekologi brez meja, Slovenija
  72. Susana Fonseca, ZERO – Association for the Sustainability of the Earth System, Portugal
  73. Narantuya Gursed, Ecosoum NGO, Mongolia
  74. Kristine Kubat, Recycle Hawaii, United States of America
  75. Joanie Steinhaus, Turtle Island Restoration Network, United States of America
  76. Jossue Ureno, Mi Familia En Accion, United States of America
  77. Kendra London, Our Afrikan Family Organization, United States of America
  78. Maya Rommwatt, Defend Our Health, United States of America
  79. Peggy Bery, Between the Waters, United States of America
  80. Martin Bourque, Ecology Center, United States of America
  81. Lea Harper, FreshWater Accountability Project, United States of America
  82. Dana Winograd, Plastic Free Seas, Hong-Kong – China
  83. Cecilia Torres, Mingas por el mar, Ecuador
  84. Marisa Jacott, Colectiva Malditos Plásticos, México
  85. Rangel Tupa, Save the Med, Mallorca, Balearic Island, Spain
  86. Elisa Martinez, Marilles Foundation, Spain
  87. Hatice Benan, BioDer (Biologists Association of North Cyprus), Cyprus
  88. Antidia Citores, Surfrider, Europe

[1] Plastic and human health, Geneva environment network, 2024

[2] Unpacking the complexity of the PET drink bottles value chain: A chemicals perspective, Science direct,  2022,

[3] Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy, PNAS, 2024

[4] Global Bottled Water Industry: A Review of Impacts and Trends, United Nations University, 2023

[5] European Commission Audit on bottled water sector fraud

[6]  Datas mentioned by the United nations university  Report already cited

[7] United nations university Report already cited

[8] Plastic bottles are a main driver  of plastic pollution, Nature Sustainibilty  publication, 2021  and  Plastic bottles are the items most frequently found in clean ups, Break Free From Plastic Brand audit

[9] Plastic  and climate : The hidden costs of a plastic  planet