That position is opposed by the plastic industry and by oil and petrochemical exporters like Saudi Arabia, who want to see plastic use continue. They argue that the treaty should focus on recycling and reusing plastics, sometimes referred to in the talks as "circularity" in the plastics supply. In a submission ahead of this week's negotiations, Saudi Arabia said the root cause of plastic pollution was "inefficient management of waste." "The plastics agreement should be focused on ending plastic pollution, not plastic production," Kastner told Reuters in a statement. Countries will also be debating whether the treaty should set transparency standards for chemical use in plastics production.

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Persons: Valerie Volcovici, David Azoulay, Matthew Kastner, Kastner, Bjorn Beeler, Beeler, Christina Dixon, Katy Daigle, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Center for International Environmental, UN, European Union, U.S . State Department, Reuters, The International Council of Chemical Associations, Network, Saudi, Environmental Investigation Agency Locations: Nairobi, Kenya, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United States, U.S