They speak on behalf of the American Chemistry Council and the International Chemical Association Council, representing the world's leading chemical and plastic manufacturers.

They urged support for a resolution at the United Nations Environment Assembly in February 2022 that would begin negotiations on a global agreement to end plastic waste in the environment. "We should not confuse the value of plastic with the issue of plastic waste." Patel said. "This is a global challenge that requires a global solution. With the support of the United Nations, we can develop a global framework to help us solve this critical issue.

In order to realize their vision, plastic manufacturers have proposed a set of five principles to eliminate plastic waste, accelerate the plastic circular economy, and serve as the basis for a global agreement.

All governments agree to eliminate plastic waste leakage into the environment before a specific date, and formulate national action plans and policies suitable for the region, allowing flexible adjustments based on local conditions.

Realize the widespread use of waste collection and support the deployment of technologies (including advanced recycling) to improve the recycling of plastics.

Recognize the role of plastics in a low-carbon future by supporting life cycle analysis as a means of assessing the impact of plastics and alternatives.

Support the innovation of product and packaging design by formulating global guidelines on design, recycled content and resource optimization with input from the industry.

Use a validated and coordinated method to measure the progress of plastic waste through globally recognized definitions and reporting indicators.