End of INC-3 Media Quotes Sheet

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2	The following quotes are from Break Free From Plastic members and allies wordwide. The views presented here represent individual organization positions
3	First Name	Last Name	Title	Organization	Country	Quote English	Quote additional language

4	Daniela	Duran	Senior Legal Campaigner, Upstream Plastic Treaty	Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)	Global	INC-3 is ending with a strong call for Member States not to lose sight of the essential treaty we require: one that makes concrete and legally binding commitments to reduce primary plastics production, safeguarding human and environmental health, and prioritizing communities affected by systemic pollution. We enter the road to INC-4 with this option on the table, with wide support from countries, but with roadblocks raised here by fossil fuel interests that didn’t enable a meaningful advance.	El INC-3 termina con un llamado claro y fuerte para los Estados Miembros: No pierdan de vista que el tratado que necesitamos es uno que incluya compromisos concretos y legalmente vinculantes para reducir la producción de polímeros plásticos primarios. Esto para proteger la salud humana y ambiental, priorizando a aquellas comunidades afectadas por la contaminación sistémica. Comenzamos el camino hacia el INC-4 manteniendo la opción ideal sobre la mesa para lograrlo, que cuenta con un amplio apoyo de los países. Sin embargo, tenemos algunas piedras en el camino que han puesto los intereses asociados a los combustibles fósiles que no permitirán que el proceso avance con el ritmo ideal.
5	Jim	Puckett	Executive Director	Basel Action Network (BAN)	Global	Too many of the delegates from around the world still suffer from the false narrative sold to all of us by the plastics industry for decades -- and that is, "don't worry, we just have to do more recycling and everything will be all right." But we now know that plastic recycling is harmful to planet and people, and must not be considered as a material eligible for inclusion in the circular economy. Plastics contain toxic chemical additives that should not under any circumstances be given a new life in recycled material. Further, we now know that the use, washing and processing of plastics, release microplastic contaminants into our environment and indeed into our bodies with the likelihood of frightening health impacts including neurological disease and cognitive decline. The new treaty on plastic must not in any respect promote the false narrative that plastic is a benign material and its recycling is good for the environment. We now know this to be a myth, which if perpetuated can threaten our very existence.
6	Tanya	Cox	Senior Technical Specialist, Marine Plastics	Fauna & Flora	Global	Plastic pollution exceeds safe planetary boundaries and is compounding the triple planetary crisis. This week delegates have grappled with the way to draft a Treaty that will protect people and planet, but we won’t get a strong outcome if biodiversity impacts are not considered by more delegates when finalising the text. This week we’ve heard broad recognition that the negotiations must be informed by local knowledge holders and we believe there is much to be learnt from communities who have developed pragmatic, locally appropriate and impactful solutions to plastic pollution. Between now and INC4, more needs to be done to listen to community voices. Many interventions this week have suggested that alternative and bio-based plastics might offer a way out of the problem, yet we have not heard sufficient warnings about the impacts on biodiversity and local communities. Ambition to solve the plastics crisis must not be derailed by validating ‘false solutions’ in the Treaty. It’s imperative to apply a life-cycle approach to prevent plastic pollution – this is particularly true of microplastic pollution, like pellets which can get into the environment every time they are handled. We must pursue upstream solutions to tackle microplastic pollution before it’s too late.
7	Rahyang	Nusantara	Deputy Director	Dietplastik Indonesia	Indonesia	Reuse Systems work in Indonesia and is considered to be a priority solution to combat plastic pollution. Dietplastik Indonesia also developed the Reuse Infrastructure Grid tool, which can be helpful in identifying various sectors and their role in the reuse ecosystem. We recommend member states to prioritize reuse systems in the plastics treaty as an effort to replace single-use plastic. This is also including member states to ensure reuse practices are an integrated part of extended producers responsibility and waste management plans and to facilitate strengthening the reuse business ecosystems.
8	Christopher	CHIN	Executive Director	The Center for Oceanic Awareness, Research, and Education (COARE)	USA	Another negotiation session has passed, and while some progress was made this week at INC-3 in Nairobi, an inordinate amount of time and effort was wasted while a handful of oil-producing and petrochemical-friendly nations effectively held the negotations hostage by refusing to cooperate or negotiate in good faith. Taking advantage of the good will of the rest of the body, these few countries effectively stalled negotiations into the late hours several nights, ensuring, at least for a little longer, that the lifecycle of plastic continues to poison and pollute our planet and people, all for greed.
9	Fabienne	McLellan	Managing Director	OceanCare	Switzerland/International	"Fishing gear is the most dangerous form of plastic pollution for the oceans and marine life. While it is of paramount importance to regulate and reduce plastics at source, I am really encouraged by the progress made on this front. However, I regret that no agreement has been reached on the intersessional work. We are now losing 6 months of valuable time. Yet, given the widespread support from many member states, we continue to call for major aciton and for governmentes to come up with meaningful provisions to tackle the full lifecycle of fishing gear in the future treaty.”
10	Rich	Gower	Senior Economist	Tearfund	UK	The audacity of the petrochemical lobby is staggering. The industry is driving this crisis, yet their approach here is, “give the petrochems time, they’ll figure it out, trust us”. I actually heard those words this week. For decades, the fossil fuel industry has obstructed progress on the climate crisis, and we are in grave danger of falling into the same trap here. Governments must ignore the pleas of industry lobbyists and recognise that this treaty is about ending plastic pollution, not about protecting the profits of the petrochemicals industry.
11	Rev Dennis	Nthenge	Tearfund Campaigner, Green Anglicans Co-ordinator and Chaplain to the Archbishop of Kenya	Green Anglicans	Kenya	Plastic use is an escalating crisis in Africa. As we embark on what should be the final year of negotiations, the urgency of a transformative treaty becomes evident for 2 billion individuals facing plastic waste without proper disposal. Meanwhile, agreement to reduce plastic production will be an uphill battle. I urge citizens around the world to join a global rallying in 2024 to demand decisive action against plastic pollution, tipping the scales towards a world-changing treaty
12	Xuan	QUACH	Vietnam Country Director, Pacific Enviornment and Coordinator for Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance		Vietnam	1) As suggested by many member states, we need to listen to the science, including science about planetary boundaries, and act accordingly to reduce plastic production by at least 75% by 2050. 2) A success of this week is that the treaty outlines many measures to address plastic pollution along the plastic lifecycle. The challenge is to ensure parties negotiate strong control measures for paramount issues like primary polymer production, problematic plastics, and chemicals of concern. It is essential these elements not get watered down or left out in the next round of negotiations.
13	Laurianne	Trimoulla	Communications & Project Manager	Gallifrey Foundation	Switzerland/International	At the closing of INC-3 we regret that too few countries see the relation between plastic pollution, ocean and climate change. The ocean absorbs huge quantities of CO2 thanks to its surface microlayer, but this layer desintegrates because of toxic additives found in the millions of tonnes of plastic dumped in the ocean. The Global Plastics Treaty has a role in climate mitigation; it must urgently address upstream solutions to stop plastics entering the ocean at every point possible. By doing so, we would be tackling both crises simultaneously. It is essential that we protect our climate by dramatically reducing our plastic production. And it is absolutely vital that the High Ambition Coalition countries stand for a strong, legally binding Treaty. We need this Treaty. We will keep supporting them at INC-4.
14	Marce	Gutiérrez-Graudiņš	Founder & Executive Director	Azul	U.S.	The work to achieve a strong, legally-binding plastics treaty is underway and we know this is more important than ever – the plastics crisis requires real governmental action from around the world and particularly from the United States. As we look ahead to INC-4 we must continue to hold our nation’s leaders accountable to ensure the needs of our communities enduring the greatest burdens of plastics and environmental justice are met swiftly with a science-based approach.	"Los esfuerzos para lograr un tratado de plásticos fuerte y legalmente vinculante están en marcha y sabemos que es más importante que nunca. La crisis de los plásticos requiere una acción gubernamental real de todo el mundo y particularmente de los Estados Unidos. Con la vista puesta en el INC-4 debemos seguir exigiendo responsabilidades a los líderes de nuestra nación para garantizar que las necesidades de nuestras comunidades que soportan las mayores cargas de los plásticos y la justicia ambiental se atiendan rápidamente con un enfoque basado en la ciencia."
15	Swathi	Seshadri	Team Lead, Oil and Gas	Centre for Financial Accountability	India	While, it was good to see countries getting into the heart of the discussion and exploring options for an effective Global Plastics Treaty, it was also disheartening that some member states were unwilling to work towards a Treaty covering the full lifecycle. Plastics are polymers. Science regarding the contribution of polymers, chemicals and additives used to make plastics to the climate crisis and human health is clear. Ignoring this is as good as ignoring the need for a plastics treaty with global targets. It is disappointing and unfortunate that fossil fuel extracting and petrochemical countries were not able to see the life altering impacts that petrochemicals, the feedstocks to make plastics, has on people. It is time that member states resisting upstream measures realise that they are as accountable to people who live in the vicinity of toxic petrochemical plants and not only concern themselves with the benefits that a handful of corporations will make. The only way forward is to regulate plastic production, and eventually phaseout of virgin plastics.
16	Fajri	Fadhillah	Head of Environmental Pollution Control Division	Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL)	Indonesia	At the end of INC-3, it is very clear that the discussion of the plastic treaty is heading in the wrong direction: an international instrument that focuses on downstream plastic problems. It is important for the Member States to prioritize resources optimally on the elements regarding primary plastic polymers, chemicals and polymers of concern, and avoidable and problematic plastic. We still have time to collectively stop the plastic pollution throughout its full lifecycle through an ambitious plastic treaty!
17	Friedor	Jeske	Program Director	Thant Myanmar	Myanmar	The Narrative that developing countries need more plastic for "sustainable" development is continiously strong here in the INC3 discussion often pushed by those countries who are producing plastic, not by those actually developing. LIDC and MLIDC have to raise their voice and show the world the system solutions the y have in place which are not only good to reduce plastic usage but also benefit small businesses, farmers and informal workers. They are leading the way on local production and consumption, repair and reuse.
18	David	Derrick	Attorney, oceans program	Center for Biological Diversity	United States	This negotiation session has been beyond frustrating,” said David Derrick, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, an observer at INC-3. “Hundreds of representatives from all over the world argued tirelessly all week, trying to protect the earth and human health from plastic pollution. But fossil fuel interests blocked those efforts, stalling progress on the plastic crisis.
19	Taylen	Reddy	Team coordinator	Zero Waste Durban	South Africa	African youth are rising to confront and call out the plastics industry, and all those that profit from the plastics crisis that we are facing today. We recognise that this environmental catastrophe is something that we were born into, yet we remain hopeful and confident in ourselves to shift the narrative onto producer accountability and push for the dismantling of extractivism - which has become the norm due to centuries of exploitation of the planet and her people. This includes urging the importance of kicking out polluters and all those that are at INC to further their own corporate agenda. We NEED ambitious targets to reduce plastic production NOW!
20	Shahriar	Hossain	Senior Technical Advisor	ESDO-Environment and Social Development Organization	Bangladesh	Intersessional work involves dealing with annexes and identifying criteria for chemicals and additives in polymers and plastic products. The focus should be on primary plastic polymers, which include chemicals, and the extent of application of this provision. The participation of civil society, academia, and scientists should be ensured through dedicated working groups that are in person and inclusive.
21	Jashaf Shamir	Lorenzo	Policy Development and Research	BAN Toxics	Philippines	The Philippines is at a critical juncture in the battle against plastic pollution. Our country's unique biodiversity, alongside the health, welfare, and sources of livelihood of our people deserve protection, and we must act decisively. With INC-3 coming to an end, there are still several issues that need to be addressed. Our hope is that we end up with a strong treaty that prioritizes plastic reduction by identifying realistic and science-informed schedules for the freeze and phase down of plastic production. Plastics harm the environment and human health across their lifecycle, and a plastics-free future is the only logical way going forward.
22	Diane	Beaumenay	Marine litter Policy Officer	Surfrider Foundation Europe	Europe	Plastic is an undeniable source of pollution of the ocean, ecosytems and human health. The fossile fuel and peetrochemical lobbies must be held accountable and stop interferring in the negociations. The majority of ambitious States must stay the course towards an effective treaty by including binding measures to reduce plastic production, ban toxic chemicals and single use plastics, and prevent microplastics, despite some countries putting the brakes on.	FR : Le plastique est un indeniable facteur de pollution de l'océan, des écosystèmes et de la santé humaine. Les lobbies des industries fossiles et pétrochimiques doivent être tenus pour responsables et cesser d'interférer dans les négociations. La majorité d'Etats ambitieux doit maintenir le cap vers un traité efficace incluant des mesures contraignantes de réduction de la production plastique, d'interdiction des éléments chimiques toxiques et des plastiques à usage unique, de prévention des microplastiques, malgré les freins de certains pays.
23	Nimisha	Agarwal	International Alliance of Waste Pickers		India	Just the thought that the International Alliance of Waste Pickers represents 460,000 waste pickers from 34 countries is really overwhelming. The working draft for negotiations includes waste pickers now, that is really amazing. My hope is that just transition is also given equal importance moving forward.
24	International Alliance of Waste Pickers	IAWP			Global	In this INC3, 32 member states directly mentioned "waste pickers" or "informal sector" in their opening statements, plenary or contact groups. If counting member states groups that mentioned these terms, the count grows to 153 (33 from GRULAC, 27 EU, 54 Africa groups, and 39 Small Islands States).
25	Charlotte	Soulary	Advocacy Manager	Zero Waste France	France	This week, plastic-producing countries and lobbies did everything they could to slow down efforts to negotiate a binding treaty covering the entire plastic life cycle. Focusing on recycling is a mistake, as are plastic credits and other false solutions that only perpetuate plastic production, exacerbating the triple crisis of climate, biodiversity and chemical pollution. It is the responsibility of France and the EU to continue to defend the ambition of the text and the need for real intersessional work in order to achieve the planned timetable, but also to support the transition at home in each economic sector to phase out plastic.	Cette semaine, pays producteurs et lobbys du plastique ont tout fait pour ralentir les efforts de négociation d’un traité contraignant portant sur l'ensemble du cycle de vie du plastique. Se focaliser sur le recyclage est une erreur, comme le seraient les crédits plastiques et autres fausses solutions qui ne font que perpétuer la production de plastique, aggravant la triple crise climatique, de la biodiversité et de la pollution chimique. Il en va de la responsabilité de la France et de l'UE de continuer à défendre l'ambition du texte et la nécessité d’un véritable travail intersessionnel afin d’aboutir dans le calendrier prévu, mais aussi de soutenir la transition à domicile dans chaque secteur économique pour se passer du plastique.
26	Siddika	Sultana	Executive Director	Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO)	Bangladesh	Plastic recycling is directly linked with global warming. Recycling process involves incineration of plastic waste for energy recovery, which releases carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The best alternative is to switch to environmentally friendly products for our daily life and adopt the zero waste mechanism with 4R approach, which is refuse, reduce, reuse, and refill.
27	Muriel	Papin	Déléguée Générale	No Plastic In My Sea	France	With a year to go to the final text, the 3rd negotiating session offers little reassurance as to the treaty's ambition and effectiveness. The search for a consensus between the divergent positions of States, as well as growing pressure from lobbies, are diluting the ambition of the text and slowing down the necessary progress, even though there is still a year to go to achieve an ambitious and effective treaty! We call on the member states of the High Ambition Coalition not to give in to the pressure exerted, and to maintain the essential measures to reduce plastic production and chemical additives.	A un an du texte final, la 3ème session de négociations ne rassure pas sur l’ambition et l’efficacité du traité. La recherche d’un consensus entre les positions divergentes des États, ainsi que la pression croissante des lobbies, diluent l’ambition du texte et freinent les avancées nécessaires, alors qu’il reste un an pour aboutir sur un traité ambitieux et efficace ! Nous appelons les Etats réunis dans la High Ambition Coalition à ne pas céder aux pressions exercées et à maintenir les indispensables mesures de réduction de la production plastique et des additifs chimiques.
28	Arpita	Bhagat	Plastic Policy Campaigner	Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) Asia Pacific	India	As activists, as movement leaders, our dire hope was to come away from INC3, with the mandate for intersessional work because as one can imagine, plastics being a complex material... there is a need— that many member states have called for a need— for science-based work and that will require for a mandate to come through... Coming away from this process without that mandate is disheartening. They're also going away from INC 3 with more text than what we started with Zero Draft and the Synthesis Report. While it is unclear what happens with that text, we do know that we are going to INC4 with more text for negotiation. I am glad that no text was deleted but we see a big task ahead of us with no vision on how we will actually arrive with the final text with two INCs left.
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