Welcome to Higginson Strategy’s weekly round-up of international news relating to plastic pollution.
Norway has paused parts of its funding to the UN Environment Programme, raising concerns about the future of stalled global plastics treaty negotiations, which are not expected to resume until late 2026 or early 2027. The EU has brought updated water quality rules into force, expanding the list of monitored pollutants in surface and groundwater to include certain PFAS chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and microplastics, with member states required to implement the changes by December 2027. The BBC has commissioned a new documentary, Plastic in Our Bodies, presented by biologist Liz Bonnin, which will follow a world-first experiment dissecting a human body to determine how much microplastic it contains and where the particles are concentrated. Taiwan has announced a new “land-sea” strategy to tackle microplastic pollution. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Irish student Ayra Satheesh has been named the European winner of the 2026 Earth Prize for Eco Purge, a plant-based biodegradable plastic embedded with enzymes.
Norway pauses UN environment funding, casting doubt over global plastics treaty talks
Norway, previously the largest financial contributor to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has paused parts of its funding to the body, raising fresh concerns about the future of the stalled global plastics treaty negotiations. The decision comes after six rounds of talks have failed to deliver an agreement since negotiations began in 2022, with the next session not expected until late 2026 or early 2027. As a co-leader of the High Ambition Coalition alongside Rwanda, Norway’s withdrawal of support is seen as a significant political signal that could further weaken momentum behind efforts to secure a binding international agreement on plastic pollution.
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EU tightens water pollution rules to target PFAS and emerging contaminants
The European Union has brought updated water quality rules into force, expanding the list of monitored pollutants in surface and groundwater to include certain PFAS “forever chemicals”, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and microplastics. The revised regulations introduce a new method for assessing the combined impact of multiple pollutants rather than measuring each in isolation, with member states given until December 2027 to implement the changes.
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BBC announces new documentary investigating microplastics in the human body
The BBC has commissioned Plastic in Our Bodies (working title), a new hour-long documentary for BBC Two and iPlayer that will follow a world-first experiment dissecting a human body to determine how much microplastic it contains and where the particles are concentrated. Presented by biologist Liz Bonnin and produced by Lion Television Scotland with The Open University, the film aims to separate scientific evidence from tabloid headlines and offer viewers practical guidance on reducing their exposure.
Read more here.
Taiwan unveils ‘land-sea’ strategy to tackle growing microplastic pollution
Taiwan has announced a new “land-sea” strategy to combat microplastic pollution, with the Ocean Affairs Council and Ministry of Environment pledging to strengthen action across five areas: source reduction, scientific monitoring, circular reuse, marine waste cleanup and international cooperation. Officials said microplastic concentrations in surrounding waters had ranged from non-detectable levels to 2.28 particles per cubic metre since monitoring began in 2020, with polyethylene, polypropylene and polystyrene identified as the most common materials. Although not a UN member, Taiwan said it would continue aligning its policies with the principles of the proposed Global Plastics Treaty by adopting a full life-cycle governance approach.
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Irish student wins Earth Prize for biodegradable plastic that helps remove microplastics
Ayra Satheesh, an 18-year-old Irish student, has been named the European winner of the 2026 Earth Prize for her invention Eco Purge, a plant-based biodegradable plastic embedded with enzymes that are gradually released as the material breaks down, helping to degrade microplastics in soil, freshwater and saltwater. Developed in collaboration with researchers at UCD Dublin, ATU Letterkenny and the BiOrbic Bioeconomy Research Centre, the invention earned her $12,500 in funding, which she plans to use to scale up production for real-world applications such as packaging and compost bags. Satheesh will now compete for the global Earth Prize, with the overall winner of the $100,000 award to be decided by public vote on 29 May.
Read more here.