Advancing Global Momentum to Improve Plastic Recycling: Insights from APR Chief Policy Officer Kate Bailey’s Participation in the Global Plastics Treaty Talks in Paris

Published on August 4, 2023

This summer, APR’s Chief Policy Officer Kate Bailey represented APR at the Second Session of the UN Environment Programme Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-2) in Paris, France. The week-long event was the second of five planned sessions in the UN process to reach a final agreement in late 2024. APR participated as an accredited organization along with the official delegates from more than 140 countries.

Kate was one of more than 1,700 diplomats and observers from civil society and industry who joined the discussion. She spoke on two panels at INC-2 events to emphasize the effectiveness of plastic recycling and advocate for changes that would drive investment in recycling infrastructure. Kate’s participation in the plastics treaty talks highlighted APR’s leadership in driving policy changes and investment in the recycling industry around the world and in the U.S.

For Kate, the symbolism of the gathering really stood out. “It is a huge signal, especially to all levels of government and companies, that we’re going to make some changes,” she said in a Plastics News interview.

The treaty discussions move to Kenya for INC-3 in November 2023 to develop the first draft language of a global agreement, and then to Canada in April 2024 for further negotiations. APR will continue to be involved on multiple fronts to help shape a successful treaty to scale and improve plastics recycling as part of the global solution to end plastic pollution. APR will also continue to collaborate with federal agencies on both global and national initiatives to reduce plastic pollution and scale recycling, including with the State Department, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Standards and Technologies (NIST) at the Department of Commerce to support U.S. action.

APR is focused on three key elements within a global agreement to bolster plastics recycling:

APR works every day to improve plastics recycling as a solution to reduce plastic pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and build a more circular economy. APR staff participate in technical and policy discussions at the state, national, and global levels, and through many multi-stakeholder forums, sharing our experience and driving change through collaborative conversation. Hear more about Kate’s experiences and how APR contributed to the global dialogue in this podcast from Plastics News.