weeknights on pbs.
>> Plastic waste is piling up in
landfills, sewer systems, and in
the ocean.
The united nations set a goal of
sharply reducing plastic
pollution by 2040.
>> Launched at the bottom of the
sea or floating on top of it,
many waterways are clogged with
plastic.
The man-made nonbiodegradable
substance is hurting wildlife
and is showing up almost
everywhere we look.
Researchers almost -- recently
discovered plastic melted into
rocks on a remote island.
It is circulating in the air we
breathe.
It made its way into our
bloodstream.
The plastic problem is not new.
It's reach seems to have no
limits.
430 metric tons of plastic
produced each year.
Two thirds of which almost
instantly after being used he
comes garbage.
Plastic production set to triple
by 2060.
To limit the flow of waste.
>> It is undecided.
>> In Nairobi, Kenya, 103
nations agreed the world must
get the plastic problem under
control.
>> We will have a strong global
international and comprehensive
framework on plastic pollution.
>> The U.N. Released this report
laying out concrete steps needed
to do it.
Turning off the tap, how the
world could end plastic aleutian
and create a circular economy it
aims to/plastic pollution by 80%
by 2040.
How to realize the goal is the
task of delegates meeting in
Paris to work on a legally
binding agreement.
The head of the united nations
environment program will lead
the negotiations.
I spoke with her recently.
>> Thank you for being here.
Before we get to the solutions
you are talking about, talk
about the problem.
Especially in the U.S. But
worldwide, we've heard the
phrase reduce, reuse, and
recycle for what feels like a
generation.
Yet we have not gotten our hands
around this problem.
Why is that?
>> It is hard, this recycle
story is not a simple as it
sounds.
I can put my plastic toothpaste
tube in my recycling bin.
It does not always make its way.
Globally, we produce about 430
million tons of plastic a year.
9% of that ends up being
recycled.
It is clearly something we need
to deal with and recycling is
not the only answer.
We need to rethink the entire
system of plastic production.
>> Walk me through the details,
how do we divert this tide to a
more productive and healthy
stream?
>> We liquefy a lot of stuff
that 20 years ago was not
liquid.
Let's take soap or laundry
detergent.
It is liquid, certainly in the
U.S. Market.
It used to be powder, and could
be transported.
Think about soap that we wash
our hands with.
It used to be in a bar, now we
need the convenience of the
pump.
We have to ask ourselves if it
is worth it when we understand
the look with acacian of the
product for our convenience.
Yes, but it is very inconvenient
for the environment.
We need to rethink and redesign
the products themselves, we need
to make sure we minimize the
wasteful single use plastic bag
we are going to be using for 10
minutes as we carry tomatoes
home from the store, and
depending on the polymer, it can
be between 100 and 1000 years.
That is not very efficient use
of a resource.
There are industry leaders
saying if we don't get it right,
it detracts from the value.
It detracts from the pride in
workers having this product if
it is bobbing around the ocean.
It is not good for business or
the brand.
So let's find solutions.
>> Some of what your report is
calling for is the creation of a
circular economy around
plastics.
Is it possible when we know the
plastic keeps breaking down in
the environment?
Are those things compatible?
>> There are many things we can
exit.
Circulator is not the solution.
It is one of the elements of the
solution.
That means takeback schemes,
whether extended producer
responsibility or municipal
takeback schemes, there are many
things we have seen across
different countries.
In Chile, which is a poorer
country than the U.S., you buy a
bottle and it is yours for keeps
and it has an electronic gadget
so when you go to the machine,
the machine knows it is your
bottle.
You put in the money that you
want and you get the detergent
from the machine you want.
If you can alone -- only afford
this much, that is what you get.
So refill schemes are very
interesting.
I think we have to think across
the entire chamber.
Circularity will be part of it.
>> You look at these upcoming
negotiations, what stand out as
the biggest roadblocks to this
type of change you are talking
about?
>> Any systems change of this
size is difficult.
My concern will be it made be in
some locations and some member
states a desire to focus on
waste management.
But we need to look at the whole
thing.
I think across the political
spectrum from left to right and
across the world, there is a
desire to find solutions.
That is unique.
It is similar to the ozone
negotiations we had in the late
1970's and early 1980's.
It was clear we needed to exit
these chemicals that degraded
the ozone layers and were
opening human health to cancers
and ourselves to runaway climate
change and impacts.
At the time it was said it is
impossible.
Enabling our cooling systems and
air dishing and fire retardant
and spray cans.
And we did it.
It is difficult.
But when we do it right, we can
do it.
>> Of the united nations
environmental program.
Thank you for being here.