French lawmakers push for global binding policies on plastic

Legislators are pushing for worldwide legally binding policies on plastic reduction, despite protests and warnings on the urgency to act.

In a statement today, the UN Environmental Program announced a plan to curb plastic waste by 80 percent by 2040.

Despite existing efforts, environmental campaigners say it's time to up the ante.

Juliette Franquet, France's director of zero waste, said that plastic pollution is a crucial issue. There are more and more laws to avoid plastics, but we must go faster, he said. Since 2016, French lawmakers have banned several single-use plastic items, such as plastic checkout bags at shopping outlets and disposable plastic cutlery.

If you had told me that we would be negotiating international treaties on plastic pollution five years ago, I would not have believed it. We need those words to transform into action, we need obligation. We need all the countries globally to make steps to reduce the production of plastics, Franquet said.