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Plastic Treaty Talks Collapse Amid Deep Divisions Global negotiations to address the plastic pollution crisis collapsed over the weekend in Busan, South Korea, as diplomats failed to meet their year-end deadline for a deal, prolonging discussions into 2025. Divisions over key issues—including reducing plastic production,...

The Vinyl Institute has actively participated in the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings for over a year, starting from INC-2 in Paris. We’re now approaching INC-5, which will occur in Busan, South Korea. This will be the last scheduled meeting, and delegates hope...

Republican Trifecta Opens Opportunities to Make Significant Legislative Changes Republicans had an exceptional election night, with former President Donald Trump achieving a historic political comeback and Republicans extending their “red wave” beyond the presidential race after flipping the Senate and holding their narrow majority in...

2024 Election Results and Lame Duck Session: What’s Next for Congressional Leadership and Key Legislation The 2024 elections remain highly competitive, with control of the White House, House, and Senate uncertain as Election Day approaches. Despite the close presidential race, Washington experts anticipate that results...

Republicans Urge Biden Administration to Abandon Global Plastics Treaty Support Republican lawmakers wrote an October 16 letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Biden administration to withdraw its support for a United Nations treaty that would limit global plastic production. Senator Dan Sullivan...

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was discovered in 1872 by German chemist Eugen Baumann. It was initially overlooked in favor of more versatile materials. However, thanks to industrial advancements, the advent of the 20th century brought a new era for this polymer. PVC was first synthesized as...

Congress Averts Shutdown, But Lack of Disaster Supplemental Threatens to Force Congress to Come Back The House and Senate passed a bill on September 25 to avert a government shutdown, extending the budget deadline to December 20. The continuing resolution (CR) keeps federal agencies funded...

Congressional Stalemate Intensifies as Funding Deadline Nears On September 18, the House rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) six-month stopgap spending bill (H.R. 9494) paired with an election security measure requiring proof of citizenship, edging Congress closer to the September 30 deadline to fund the government....