Plastics Science - Note by the Secretariat

Pursuant to paragraph 5 of the United Nations Environment Assembly resolution 5/14 of 2 March 2022, titled “End plastic pollution: towards an international legally binding instrument”, an ad hoc open‑ended working group met in Dakar from 30 May to 1 June 2022 to prepare for the work of the intergovernmental negotiating committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. The open‑ended working group agreed on a list of documents that the secretariat would provide to the intergovernmental negotiating committee at its first session. Among other things, the secretariat was requested to provide a document on plastics science, including monitoring, sources of plastic pollution, chemicals used in manufacturing, flows across the life cycle, pathways in the environment, health and other impacts, solutions, technologies and costs. 2. The document set out in the annex to the present note has been prepared in response to the request of the ad hoc open‑ended working group. It provides the latest available information on plastic pollution science, for the consideration of the intergovernmental negotiating committee.