In early August, for the sixth time, over 170 United Nations countries gathered in Geneva to discuss plastic regulations. A timely opinion pieces in the New York Times by author Oliver Franklin-Wallis examines the harmful effects of our world’s plastic infatuation and delineates the reasons why limiting these consequences draws more opposition than one would assume. According to estimates shared in the article, there are over 16,000 chemical additives known to be used in plastic production, with at least 4,200 of these already confirmed as toxic. Combined with the fact that plastics degrade slowly as they age, this is creating what Franklin-Wallis refers to as a “slow-release bomb” affecting us all. So who would oppose the regulation of chemicals proven to cause a laundry list of problems including increased risk of cancer, respiratory disorders, infertility, heart disease, and developmental disorders? The plastics industry, obviously. They aren’t acting alone either; countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and the United States opposed the treaty proposed at a previous meeting in South Korea because of the potential ramifications to the oil industry. The meeting closed on August 15 without a deal, but with plastic production estimated to triple by 2060, now is the time for the world’s governing bodies to prove they truly care more about the health of their citizens than the profits lining their pockets.