Busan, South Korea— As the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) kicks off today in Busan, Republic of Korea, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) is calling for urgent action to ensure health remains a central focus in negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty (GPT). This final INC session will gather international negotiators from various countries and industries to develop a legally binding treaty aimed at addressing the escalating plastic pollution crisis.
With plastic pollution posing significant risks to both human health and the environment, HCWH emphasizes the need for a treaty that prioritizes health-centered policies. “The health sector has a crucial role to play in tackling plastic pollution, and we are committed to advocating for strong, effective measures that protect our communities and the planet,” said Mariano De Donatis, HCWH’s Global Chief Program Officer.
HCWH’s global delegation, representing regions from Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America, and South East Asia, will actively participate in both formal negotiations and related campaign efforts. The organization is unified in its call for an ambitious Global Plastics Treaty that places health at the forefront and does not exempt the health sector.
“A blanket exemption for the health sector undermines the very mission of protecting human well-being. It will stall innovation and momentum for reducing, reusing, and redesigning plastics within healthcare. This is at odds with the global push for a sustainable health sector,” emphasized Stacia Clinton, Senior Project Lead for Sustainability at HCWH.
As the organization prepares for its on-the-ground participation, it is also rallying its supporters through a digital advocacy toolkit. The kit offers ready-to-use campaign materials, including social media assets and email templates, to mobilize action. HCWH encourages its allies, especially within the health sector, to join the campaign and urge world leaders and negotiators to ensure that health remains central to the treaty’s outcomes.
The upcoming INC-5 in Busan will be instrumental in negotiating treaty elements that directly affect public and planetary health. The decisions made here will significantly influence global health systems, especially as we work to mitigate plastic’s harmful impacts on healthcare facilities, communities, and the environment.
The INC process was initiated by the United Nations to develop a legally binding international agreement addressing the global plastics crisis. Since the beginning, the INC sessions have convened policymakers, scientists, industry leaders, and civil society organizations to create a comprehensive framework for tackling plastic pollution at every stage of its life cycle—production, design, and disposal.
As we confront rising health and environmental risks from plastics, each INC has built on the progress of the last, bringing us closer to comprehensive solutions. INC-5 is now positioned as a pivotal moment in this ongoing journey.
"The time to act is now. We must raise our voices so that treaty negotiators hear us loud and clear. What we need is a strong and just Plastics Treaty that genuinely prioritizes thehealth of both people and the planet," emphasized Kyla Patrizze Pernes, Sustainability Advocacy Officer at HCWH SEA.