ASH joins the Stop Tobacco Pollution Alliance in attending the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Conference (INC-4) of the United Nations Treaty to End Plastic Pollution in Ottawa, Canada from April 23 – 29, 2024. ASH’s Chief Operating Officer Liz Furgurson and Policy Director Chris Bostic will share updates and progress here for our community to stay engaged and informed.
April 26, 2024 – The third and fourth days of negotiations were spent discussing the minutiae of critical sections of the treaty.
The highlight of the day came when Peru called for cigarette filters to be banned. Panama quickly supported them.
Other notable news:
– Switzerland, supported by four other delegations, proposed five criteria for determining which plastics should be banned outright. Cigarette filters fit the criteria perfectly.
– The WHO held a second informal meeting to further discuss how to ensure public health is strongly reflected in the future treaty. Conflict of interest also came up, and there was general agreement language is needed to ensure transparency.
– A representative of the host country, Canada, graciously met with the Stop Tobacco Pollution Alliance (STPA). We briefed them on our goals and made suggestions for how they might support us.
– Norway proposed a sectorial approach for dedicated programs of work with support from the European Union and several others, including support for inclusion of additional sectors.
– There was a lively discussion on plastic polymers with clear division in positions across the member states.
Friday was a key day in our efforts at the plastic pollution treaty. We continue to advocate with other governments to support our efforts.
