Demand a Strong Global Plastics Treaty to Protect Our Ocean

Ensure the U.S. government commits to a strong, binding Global Plastics Treaty addressing the entire life-cycle of plastics.

Surfrider Foundation calls on the United States government to commit to a strong, binding Global Plastics Treaty that recognizes:

Plastic pollution starts with extraction of fossil fuels.
Plastic pollutes at all stages of its life cycle beginning with fossil fuel extraction.
Fossil fuel industry influence in the UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations is a conflict of interest and prevents real solutions from being implemented.
To solve the plastic pollution crisis, plastics production must be significantly reduced, and the fossil fuel and plastic industry buildout must be stopped.
Plastic pollution disproportionately impacts BIPOC, rural, and low-income fenceline communities.
Plastic pollution harms human health.

The treaty should also build a path to an equitable reuse-based economy that protects the rights and interests of workers, Indigenous peoples and other marginalized communities.

We do not have time to wait nor waste. The time to act is now.

Send a message to President Biden here!

Among other damage, pollution from single-use plastics harms ocean ecosystems and wildlife, has infiltrated into human bodies and touches every known part of our planet. The plastic-making process poisons the air and water of communities adjacent to production facilities, and is a major contributor to climate change.

But a commitment by the United Nations to "end the global scourge of plastic pollution" offers hope – if we can get the United States' government to commit to a strong treaty with binding measures that require reducing plastic production.

Surfrider joins our global affiliates in pushing for a meaningful global solution to this terrible global problem, and calls on our network of U.S.-based activists to demand the United States step up.

Further reading