India, April 26 -- The need right now is to simplify plastics towards safety and sustainability through policies promoting the use of fewer and safer chemicals

At the ongoing negotiations being held under the aegis of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to end plastic pollution across the life cycle, a handful of oil, gas and plastic producing countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, and others are blocking the acceptance of a strong and robust treaty that also addresses the impact of plastic pollution on human health.

Chemicals used in plastics are a key part of the discussion and listed as an obligation. Member states have varying views around this issue. Some strongly support this obligation. Others block it with the ratio...