More than 170 Heads of State and Ministers for the Environment from across the globe came together overnight at the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly, making a historic agreement to end plastic pollution.
Australia joined with other nations to adopt a legally binding agreement to address the full lifecycle of plastic and stop it from entering our oceans.
“Australia has set the standard for how it deals with waste plastics, investing towards a circular economy and through our ban on the export of unprocessed waste plastic,” Minister Ley said.
“Fourteen million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every year, leaching harmful chemicals and breaking down into microplastics that are ingested by marine life.
“The move by member nations to adopt a legally binding agreement is the start of a global push to tackle this problem but we know there is more to do.
“Our oceans are part of our national identity and critical to the daily lives of millions of Australians – ensuring our shared oceans are clean and healthy is both a national and regional responsibility for Australia.”
Work will begin later this year, with a legally binding agreement expected by 2025.
