Countries participating in the resumed fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) in Geneva from August 5 to 14, 2025, did not reach consensus on a new agreement aimed at addressing plastic pollution.
Plastics are widely used across various sectors, including food packaging, medical devices, information technology, aerospace, and automobile manufacturing. The U.S. delegation advocated for what it described as "common-sense and pragmatic approaches" that would reduce plastic pollution while protecting American industries dependent on plastics.
"The United States supports an agreement that allows countries to use tailored and cost-effective solutions that will work best in their country. We did not support prescriptive top-down regulatory approaches that will stifle innovation and drive consumer inflation across the U.S. economy and all over the world," according to the statement.
The INC-5.2 meeting is part of ongoing international negotiations seeking a legally binding instrument to address plastic pollution globally.
For more information about the session or future developments, inquiries can be directed to mediainquiries@state.gov.
