People climb buildings and hand out soap to push for a plastic pollution treaty

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT

GENEVA (AP) — A Swiss ocean protection group is handing out bars of soap to negotiators working on a global accord to end plastic pollution .

The messaging on the cardboard box from the Geneva-based Gallifrey foundation reads “no dirty tricks, vote for a clean plastics treaty.”

As Thai diplomat Jutha Saovabha walked to the treaty talks Wednesday morning, Gallifrey Foundation spokesperson Laurianne Trimoulla stopped him to chat and handed him a soap. Saovabha said it was a lovely gift and he liked the plastic-free packaging.

Nations are crafting the first global, legally binding treaty on plastics pollution . The meeting at the United Nations office in Geneva is supposed to be the last and people are getting creative to put the pressure on to get a deal done.