Environmental NGOs are raising concerns about the growing presence of petrochemical industry lobbyists at talks to forge a global treaty to combat plastic pollution.

More than 180 countries are meeting at the United Nations in Geneva in a bid to thrash out a landmark agreement aimed at tackling the scourge of plastic pollution -- looking at the full life-cycle of plastic, from production to pollution.

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) said it had counted 234 publicly disclosed fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists registered to attend the 10-day negotiations, which run until August 14.

Industry lobbyists "should not be able to attend these negotiations," CIEL's Rachel Radvany told AFP. They have "direct conflicts of interest with the goal of the treaty."

"Thei

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