700 Voices, One Demand: Stop Plastic Pollution at the Source

Protect Our Health First – Stop Plastic Pollution at Its Source: Over 700 concerned citizens, communities, and Civil Society Organisations call on the Government of India for Urgent Action on Plastic Pollution in the Global Plastics Treaty

Press Statement | August 02, 2025

A resolution was adopted at the UN Environmental Assembly in March 2022 to develop an international, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Despite five negotiations being completed, little progress has been made on the final treaty draft. India’s current push is only for “plastic waste disposal” which ignores the fact that 90% of plastic’s Green House Gas emissions originate from plastic design and production stages. This fails to address the underlying cause, which is the unregulated production of plastics (of which 50% are single-use), which overburdens waste systems and contributes to pollution and risks to public health, from production to use and disposal as waste. Even worse, waste-to-energy incineration, which releases toxins and microplastics, is one of the false solutions that India promotes.

Five INC sessions later, the second part of the fifth negotiation is planned from the 5th to the 14th of August 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. The petition, initiated by the Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA), Chennai Climate Action Group (CCAG), Climate Front India (CFI), Friends of Earth‑India, Poovulagin Nanbargal, Tambaram Makkal Kuzhu, Visai and Vyasai Thozhargal highlights the urgent need to:

• Prioritising human health and demanding a standalone health article (provision) in the Global Plastics Treaty (GPT). 
• Prioritising research into plastic alternatives that do not threaten public health. 
• Eliminating chemicals of concern used in manufacturing plastics 
• Capping the production of primary plastic polymers
• Rejecting false solutions like Waste-to-Energy (WTE) incinerators

“We urgently call on our government’s delegation to champion an upstream‑focused, health‑first Global Plastics Treaty at INC 5.2.” said Dr. Vishvaja Sambath from the Centre for Financial Accountability. “In a world where the modern market economy has wreaked havoc on our bodies and our environment, only a radical top-down transformation can help us overcome this crisis. We have no other choice but to work towards creating a strong, binding global treaty to curb plastic pollution.” said Geo Damin of Poovulagin Nanbargal. “Large corporations are promoting plastics that are leading to widespread pollution of our natural resources. The forest-dependent communities, coastal communities are all being impacted due to this. It is time that policymakers prioritise people over plastic and take action. Let’s raise our voices against corporate crimes and protect our rivers, forests, and oceans – our future depends on it,” said Sarath Cheloor from Friends of the Earth, India. Highlighting the need to put public welfare before private profits, Sharath of Vyasai Thozhargal said that, “Production reduction of single-use plastics is the only cure to beat plastic pollution.” “On 27th June, the Save Musi Movement showcased the impact of plastic brands polluting the Musi River and harming its ecology at the Musi River Museum event in Hyderabad,” said Ruchith from Save Musi Movement.

In this defining moment, India has the opportunity to show leadership for a legally binding global treaty that prevents plastics pollution before it starts. Only by embracing strong upstream measures can we truly protect public health, ecosystems, and future generations.