Around 175 countries could sign a treaty to limit plastic pollution. The nations have been meeting in South Korea. The U.N. Environment Program said the treaty will protect the future of the planet. The U.N. Secretary-General spoke about the problem. He said: "Our world is drowning in plastic pollution. Every year, we produce 460 million tons of plastic, much of which is quickly thrown away." The U.N. said a treaty will help future generations.

The U.N said it was important to act now. It said by 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Microplastics are creating many new health problems. The president of South Korea asked countries to follow a path to zero plastic pollution. He added: "The waste…in our oceans and rivers now [risks] the lives of future generations." He asked governments, "to open a new historic chapter by [signing] a treaty on plastic pollution".