Plastics pollution is now ubiquitous (1, 2) and affects the environment at all stages of the plastics life cycle. Plastics manufacturing involves thousands of chemicals that can pollute ecosystems. Once in the environment, plastic litter can entangle and choke wildlife, and plastic objects can act as a reservoir for invasive species and concentrate other pollutants (1, 3, 4). Plastics can then break down into potentially toxic micro- and nanoplastics. Negotiations for the plastics treaty (the legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment) (5, 6) must ensure that its text centers the effects of plastics on ecosystems, as services that ecosystems provide are essential for biodiversity and human health and well-being.
