The World Medical Association urges global commitment for a just Plastic Treaty to safeguard human and planetary health
The World Medical Association calls on countries to deliver a just, health-centred global Plastics Treaty to tackle the mounting plastic pollution crisis and its devastating effects on human and planetary health. Today marks the start of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in Busan, Republic of Korea, to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
The World Medical Association (WMA) Resolution on Plastics and Health, adopted by the 75th WMA General Assembly, Helsinki, Finland, in October 2024, urges countries, and especially those present at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to:
- Commit to a just Plastic Treaty to end plastic pollution
- Address the impacts of plastics on human and planetary health
- Consider the role of plastic products in the health sector
Acknowledging that the healthcare sector is a large consumers of plastics, the World Medical Association calls upon the healthcare sector to proactively reduce reliance on plastic and promote sustainable alternatives.
“Many healthcare facilities are already showing that change is possible, through the adoption of sustainable procurement practices and less single-use plastics,” said Dr Ashok Philip, President of the World Medical Association.
“But we urge more commitment from governments, industries and health professionals, to protect both people and our planet from the devastating effects of plastic pollution, whereby we see microplastics present in human placentas, brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, blood vessels and bone marrow, among other tissues.”
Echoing the recent warning by UN experts of a looming ‘toxic tidal wave,’ as plastic waste continues to pollute ecosystems and threaten human rights, the WMA amplifies this call, urging all stakeholders to prioritize health and justice in the Plastics treaty negotiations.
The World Medical Association is a signatory to the Open letter from health professionals on the plastics treaty which urges delegates to “commit to a just and equitable Treaty that respects human rights, limits the production of plastics, eliminates unnecessary plastics products including single use plastic, prioritizes detoxification, and ensures transparency of plastic products and materials.”