Salman Al-Ajmi, head of LMC, told the “Plastic Pollution Crisis: New
Challenges and Opportunities” conference that while plastics remain vital to
modern economies, stricter rules, taxes or penalties could carry serious
consequences for producing countries.
“We do not want to stop plastic production, but we can manage the pollution
that comes with it,” Al-Ajmi said via video link. “The goal is to benefit from
plastics with the lowest possible pollution.”
He called for transparent assessments of plastic’s environmental impacts
and urged nations to set priorities, build capacity and secure financing.
Recycling, he said, requires precise planning, technological innovation and
broader information-sharing among industries and governments.
Al-Ajmi stressed that a treaty alone would not be enough, adding that both
industries and governments must accept responsibility for tackling plastic
waste. “If we are going to use non-renewable energy, we have responsibilities
in how we design, use and recycle plastics,” he said.
Although negotiations under the UN’s Intergovernmental Negotiating
Committee (INC) have yet to yield a binding treaty, Al-Ajmi said the process
gives countries such as Iran a chance to influence the final text. Aligning
with future global rules could raise environmental standards and create
opportunities for innovation in recycling technologies within Iran’s polymer
industry, he added.