Negotiations to develop a global plastics treaty concluded last month in Busan, South Korea, without reaching an agreement, with extended discussions now scheduled for 2025. The UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) convened for its fifth session, initially expected to finalize the details of a treaty aimed at addressing plastic pollution. Waste picker groups and workers in the plastic value chain have been advocating for a just transition that acknowledges the important role they play in plastic waste management and their contributions to environmental protection.