As Australians, we are proud to live next to clean beach and crystal clear ocean. Either going for a short dip before work or someone like me, I go for a beach walk almost every day with my daughter.

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We may not be able to do this in the future as the recent UN plastic treaty negotiations failed. Despite six rounds of negotiations over the past three years, we didn't reach an agreement.

Deep inside me, I knew this was coming. I felt frustrated.

We're disappointing ourselves and the next generations. I can't imagine a life when my daughter grows up and ocean swimming is no longer possible.

"By 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean" according to Ellen Macarthur Foundation. If new plastic productions continue, this could become a reality.

Are we Australians ready for this?

We still can change this. But Australia must do it with an inclusive approach even without a treaty.

We can't focus only on the environmental aspect but need to take the social aspect into account. I refer to "people" who are often forgotten.

It means you, me or those waste heroes who collect plastic waste from the street every day but yet being neglected from the treaty conversations.

Scientists estimate that an equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic waste enters the world's oceans every minute.

Mismanaged plastic waste

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