February 2026 will mark the beginning of a new horizon in the history of human civilization. After four years of tension and debate, a draft agreement to combat global plastic pollution has been finalized at the UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.3) session in Geneva, Switzerland.
Chilean Ambassador Julio Cardano led over 140 countries in agreeing to reduce the production of ‘virgin plastic’ by at least 60 percent by 2030.
Between 2020 and 2025, the amount of plastic waste in the world exceeded 400 million tons annually. Of this, only 9 percent was able to be recycled.
Microplastics, in particular, are now found in human blood, semen and the deep-sea Mariana Trench. The necessity for a solid agreement became clear after the 2024 Busan Conference and the 2025 Geneva session.
Our research has shown that the new agreement makes ‘Extended Producer Responsibility(EPR) mandatory. If companies like Coca-Cola or Unilever don’t collect their bottles or packets from the market, they will face high international carbon and plastic taxes. The 2026 agreement promises major investments in ‘chemical recycling’ technology for the first time.
Due to the agreement, plastic product prices in the global market have risen by 10-15%. In contrast, the market for eco-friendly alternatives like bio-plastics and jute-polymers has grown by 25 percent in the past six months. The agreement has created a huge economic potential in a jute country like Bangladesh.
Prof. Dr. Elena M. Rodriguez-Rodriguez stated, “This is not just an agreement; it is a ceasefire declaration for the ocean and land.” If we can meet the 2030 target, we will be saved from the threat that plastic in the ocean will exceed the weight of fish by 2050.”
