Around 175 countries could soon sign a treaty to limit plastic pollution. Representatives of the nations have been meeting in South Korea to talk about plastic waste. The U.N. Environment Program said the treaty is necessary to protect the future of the planet. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 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 is, "an insurance policy for this generation and future ones".

Mr Guterres warned what might happen in the future if we do not act. He said: "By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Microplastics…are creating health problems that we're only just beginning to understand." The president of South Korea asked governments to agree on a path to zero plastic pollution. He said we must stop thinking of plastic as being convenient. 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".