(File Photo)

(Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service)

An environmental group in Pennsylvania is among those backing a global plastics treaty set to be finalized by year’s end. It’s estimated that  ninety-nine percent of plastics are made with fossil fuels, and southwestern Pennsylvania is a hotspot for fracking. Sarah Martik with the Center for Coalfield Justice says she’ll attend the treaty negotiations in South Korea, and is urging the Biden-Harris administration to ratify it. The U.S. initially supported production caps and timelines to curb plastics production, but recently withdrew that support. Martik says countries that don’t sign environmental agreements can’t trade with those that do without causing global strain. Martik says the Biden-Harris administration is responsible for negotiating the treaty. She notes President-elect Donald Trump has expressed disinterest in environmental agreements and plans to withdraw the U.S. once again from the Paris Agreement, although global leadership on environmental issues is crucial for long-term benefits.