Nearly every country in the world agreed to a new provision in a treaty that would aim to limiting plastic waste pollution, but the U.S. was not among them, as it has not ratified a treaty to which the provision was added. The governments of 187 countries agreed to add plastic to the United Nations-supported Basel Convention, which regulates the transfer of certain materials between borders, CNN reported Saturday. The U.S. did not participate in the talks regarding plastic because it is one of just two countries that has not ratified the treaty, according to CNN. Even though the U.S. did not ratify the treaty, its trades with countries that have approved the deal will be affected. ADVERTISEMENT According to ABC News, several industries will be affected by the move, including health care, technology, food and fashion. "It's sending a very strong political signal to the rest of the world — to the private sector, to the consumer market — that we need to do something," Rolph Payet of the United Nations Environment Program told ABC. "Countries have decided to do something which will translate into real action on the ground." He also said it would create a "transparent and traceable system for the export and import of plastic waste." The Basel Convention was adopted in 1989 and aims to control transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal.<doc-sep>Almost every country in the world, except the United States, agreed to a deal on Friday that would sharply reduce the amount of plastic being washed into the world's oceans. The legally binding framework for reducing plastic waste means countries will have to monitor and track thousands of types of plastic waste outside their borders. The deal was struck after 1,400 representatives met for 12 days of discussions at a United Nations Environment Program meeting in Geneva. The deal essentially updates the 1989 Basel Convention on the control of hazardous waste to include plastic. The US signed the Basel Convention in 1990 but never ratified it. "It's sending a very strong political signal to the rest of the world — to the private sector, to the consumer market — that we need to do something," Rolph Payet of the United Nations Environment Program said. "Countries have decided to do something which will translate into real action on the ground." IPEN umbrella group science adviser Sara Brosche said: "For far too long developed countries like the US and Canada have been exporting their mixed toxic plastic wastes to developing Asian countries claiming it would be recycled in the receiving country. Instead, much of this contaminated mixed waste cannot be recycled and is instead dumped or burned, or finds its way into the ocean." The ugly face of plastic pollution The age of plastic Plastic is lightweight, durable — and wildly popular. We've produced 8.3 billion metric tons of the material since mass production began in the 1950s. Because it doesn't easily biodegrade, much of what we've made now lives in landfills like this one on Nairobi's outskirts. Rubbish pickers there hunt for recyclable plastics to earn a living. But a lot of plastic also ends up in the ocean ... The ugly face of plastic pollution Rivers of plastic Much plastic enters marine habitats through rivers like, the Yangtze, the Indus, the Ganges, Pearl River, and the Mekong. These rivers run through highly populated areas with a lack of adequate waste disposal infrastructure. Here, a fisherman in the Philippines removes a fish and crab trap from plastic-filled waters. The ugly face of plastic pollution A plastic welcome to the world Some animals have found uses for plastic waste. This swan nested in garbage on a Copenhagen lake that is popular with tourists. Her cygnets hatched surrounded by waste. It's not the best start to life. But for some animals the consequences are much worse ... The ugly face of plastic pollution Deadly consequences Although plastic is highly durable and can be used for products with a long lifespan, such as furniture and piping, about 50 percent goes to disposable products, including single-use cutlery and six pack rings that end up in the natural environment. Animals, like this penguin, are in danger of becoming entangled and dying as a result. The ugly face of plastic pollution Eating plastic Other animals mistake the material for food. This albatross chick was found dead on Sand Island in Hawaii with multiple pieces of plastic in its stomach. According to one study of 34 seabird species in northern Europe, Russia, Iceland, Svalbard, the Faroe Islands, Scandinavia and Greenland, 74 percent had ingested plastic. Eating the material can lead to organ damage and blockages in the gut. The ugly face of plastic pollution Whale killer Even larger animals aren't immune to the effects of consuming plastic. This whale was found struggling to breathe and swim in a Thai canal. As rescuers attempted to save the animal, it vomited five plastic bags and later died. During the necropsy, vets found 80 shopping bags and other plastic garbage had clogged up the whale's stomach, so the marine creature could no longer digest nutritious food. The ugly face of plastic pollution Visible and invisible plastic We're well aware of the large pieces of plastic bobbing on the ocean's surface, as is pictured here off the Hawaiian coast. But did you know, trillions of tiny particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter are also floating around in there? These particles end up in the food chain. Sea plankton, which are an important source of food for fish and other marine animals, have been filmed eating them. The ugly face of plastic pollution An end in sight? Tentative measures to cut down on disposable plastic have already been taken in some African countries with bans on plastic bags, while the European Union is looking into prohibiting single-use plastic products. But if current trends continue, scientists believe there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic on the planet by 2050. Author: Jennifer Collins Calls in Germany for plastic bag ban Meanwhile, German Development Minister Gerd Müller has called for a ban on plastic bags in Germany, in part to reduce the exports of waste to developing countries. "The ban on plastic straws is not enough," Müller told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. "Germany should not wait for Europe and should immediately ban disposable plastic bags." The CSU politician noted that some African countries had already banned plastic bags: "We must do what Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda have done." "Stricter export laws under the Basel Convention are a big step forward and an effective instrument in fighting the increasing amount of waste in the ocean," German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said on Saturday. Schulze also said that the new rules could help put an end to the export of plastic waste from the EU to Africa and Asia, and that Europe and Germany are responsible for sorting and recycling plastic waste. 'Prevent' alliance On Thursday in Berlin, Müller gave the go-ahead for Germany to join a new, international waste alliance, to which 30 companies, research institutions and organizations already belong. Among them are Nestlé and Coca-Cola, the Green Dot recycling scheme, several universities and the environmental protection group WWF. Other partners include Indonesia and Ghana. The alliance is called "Prevent," and its core concern is preventing waste. "Waste is becoming a global survival issue like climate change," said Müller. Plastic waste in the sea is set to increase tenfold and with current trends, by 2050, there may be more plastic than fish in the oceans. Today, 2 billion people live in areas without garbage collection. "The poorest of the poor suffer the most," said Müller. Kenya has banned plastic bags yet plastic persists Reducing waste Müller says the members of the alliance now want to find ways of reducing as much waste as possible. "Because if we continue in this way, we will drown in rubbish," he said. German technology could play an important role in the fight against the global waste problem, the minister said, and this in turn could lead to job creation. The German government wants to ensure that only sorted and easily recyclable plastic waste can be sold abroad. wmr,aw,av/sms (dpa, AP, AFP, Reuters) Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.<doc-sep>
GENEVA — Nearly every country in the world has agreed upon a legally binding framework to reduce the pollution from plastic waste except for the United States, U.N. environmental officials say. An agreement on tracking thousands of types of plastic waste emerged Friday at the end of a two-week meeting of U.N.-backed conventions on plastic waste and toxic, hazardous chemicals. Discarded plastic clutters pristine land, floats in huge masses in oceansand rivers and entangles wildlife, sometimes with deadly results. Rolph Payet of the United Nations Environment Program said the "historic" agreement linked to the 186-country, U.N.-supported Basel Convention means that countries will have to monitor and track the movements of plastic waste outside their borders. The deal affects products used in a broad array of industries, such as health care, technology, aerospace, fashion, food and beverages. "It's sending a very strong political signal to the rest of the world — to the private sector, to the consumer market — that we need to do something," Payet said. "Countries have decided to do something which will translate into real action on the ground." Countries will have to figure out their own ways of adhering to the accord, Payet said. Even the few countries that did not sign it, like the United States, could be affected by the accord when they ship plastic waste to countries that are on board with the deal. Payet credited Norway for leading the initiative, which first was presented in September. The time from that proposal to the approval of a deal set a blistering pace by traditional U.N. standards for such an accord. The framework "is historic in the sense that it is legally binding," Payet said. "They (the countries) have managed to use an existing international instrument to put in place those measures." The agreement is likely to lead to customs agents being on the lookout for electronic waste or other types of potentially hazardous waste more than before. "There is going to be a transparent and traceable system for the export and import of plastic waste," Payet said.