The fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on a Global Agreement to End Plastic Pollution (INC-4) concluded last month, marking significant progress toward a legally binding treaty. According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), “INC-4 was attended by more than 2,500 delegates representing 170 member states and over 480 observer organizations, including non-governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, and UN agencies,” meaning “INC-4 was the committee’s largest and most inclusive meeting to date, with observer participation increasing by almost 50 percent.”
This session will have a direct impact on the cosmetics and personal care industry, following INC-1 in Punta del Este in November 2022, INC-2 in Paris in May/June 2023, and INC-3 in Nairobi in November 2023. Ahead of INC-5, the final stage of the INC process scheduled for November 2024 in Busan, South Korea, we have reviewed the official US State Department and UNEP media releases on the recent proceedings and summarised key takeaways for manufacturers and suppliers of cosmetics and personal care products.
Advanced Draft Text
The meeting advanced the drafting of an international legally binding instrument to address plastic pollution. The instrument includes key elements such as emissions and releases, production and product design, waste management, and addressing problematic and avoidable plastics. For example, as reported in a State Department press release, INC-4 “presented the draft instrument in several sections, including obligations aimed at controlling emissions and releases of hazardous pollutants from plastic production facilities and waste management facilities that process plastic waste.”
This progress indicates that manufacturers in the cosmetics and personal care industry need to prepare for potentially stricter plastic usage regulations, primarily by focusing on sustainable product design and waste management practices.
Work during the event
According to a UNEP press release, delegates agreed to conduct mediation work before INC-5, “expert meetings to take place between official INC sessions.” This work would include revising the draft text and addressing outstanding issues. Additionally, the UNEP release continued, “Members decided to create an open-ended legal drafting group to be formed at INC-5 and serve as advisors to review elements of the revised draft text to ensure legal soundness.”
From the US delegation’s perspective, “We appreciate the INC Chair’s leadership in reaching convergence on the intersessional work program to move the process forward toward the next round of negotiations in Busan. The United States supports and is pleased that countries have agreed to establish an ad hoc open-ended expert group to address means of implementation, products, chemicals of concern, and related product design issues,” a State Department press release said.
Ambassador Luis Bayas, INC Chair, said in a UNEP press release that the delegation “left INC-4 with a much clearer picture of the work that remains to be done in order to deliver on the commitments made by Member States through UNEA Resolution 5/14.”
Manufacturers will need to stay updated on these developments as they unfold over the coming months, which may impact future regulatory requirements.
Focus on plastics production
A key focus of the negotiations was regulating plastic production volumes. As reported in a State Department media release, throughout INC-4, “the United States worked with other countries to advance universal obligations on polymers, chemicals, products, and other parts of the plastic life cycle that would reduce demand for primary plastic polymer production.”
The U.S. delegation “recognizes that downstream measures alone will not be enough to end plastic pollution,” the media release continued, but “the United States supports each Party’s obligation to take steps to identify and control chemicals, including polymers, that pose risks of concern to human health or the environment.” As a result, “as part of these obligations, the U.S. approach also focuses on reducing demand for new plastics,” the State Department media release confirmed.
Although no agreement has yet been reached on setting a global cap, the topic remains important for future discussions: companies may need to anticipate potential limitations on plastic production and consider alternative materials and packaging solutions to comply with upcoming regulations.
Inclusive participation
The meeting was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including government representatives, non-governmental organizations and industry associations. “We are all united in our strong shared determination to develop an internationally legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution,” Vajas said in a UNEP media release, adding, “We have found common ground and will continue to walk this path together until the end.”
This inclusive approach ensures the treaty takes into account diverse perspectives, increasing the likelihood of comprehensive and balanced regulation. In a UNEP media statement, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault said, “We are doing all we can to raise international awareness of the plastic pollution crisis and give the agreement the global attention it deserves to cross the finish line.”
Therefore, the cosmetics and personal care industry should consider joining these discussions to advocate for practical, achievable solutions.
Potential impacts on the industry and next steps
For B2B cosmetics and personal care product manufacturers, these negotiations highlight the need to accelerate the transition to sustainable practices. Key areas of focus include sustainable packaging, such as investing in biodegradable and recyclable materials to reduce reliance on traditional plastics, product innovation, such as designing products with minimal plastic content and increasing recyclability, and regulatory compliance, i.e. staying on top of international regulatory developments to ensure compliance and avoid potential disruptions.
Looking forward, best practices for cosmetic and personal care product manufacturers and suppliers to navigate these impending changes include auditing current practices to evaluate current plastic use and waste management strategies, investing in research and development focused on developing sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging and components, and actively engaging with policy makers by joining policy debates to address industry-specific concerns.
