The world is struggling with plastic pollution — Canada is no exception

As thousands of delegates meet in Ottawa this week to work toward a global treaty on curbing plastic waste, the experts say the world may never get a better opportunity to confront the problem.

As more than 4,000 people descend on Ottawa for UN negotiations aimed at stopping plastic pollution, Catherine Cullen goes along to meet some of the delegates, including Fijian scientist Rufino Varea; Greenpeace Philippines campaigner Marian Ledesma; president of Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada Lisa Qiluqqi Koperqualuk; Circular Materials CEO Allen Langdon; Eli Browne of the grocery chain Sobeys; the head of the UN Environment Programme Inger Andersen and others to ask how the world can get rid of plastic waste.

One expert told The House host Catherine Cullen this week that the treaty needs to address aspects of waste disposal even more basic than questions about international plastic standards and recycling.

"Well, the reality is that 67 per cent of the global population do not have access to waste collection services," said Clarissa Morawski, CEO of Reloop Platform, an anti-waste advocacy group.

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault told CBC's Power & Politics this week that the international approach would allow the global community to meet ambitious targets, including the goal of ending plastic pollution by 2040 agreed to by a group of countries known as the High Ambition Coalition.

But the Conservatives are pushing legislation that would bring back plastic straws, spurred by new research showing that some compostable items are made with what are known as "forever chemicals," potentially harmful substances.