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

As nations began a second week of negotiations Monday for a global accord to end plastic pollution, an artist heaped piles of plastic garbage onto a large sculpture in front of the United Nations office.

Procedural rules for the plastics treaty negotiations say that, for substantive issues, delegates “ shall make every effort ” to reach agreement by consensus. Otherwise they can vote by a two-thirds majority,