Unhealthy consequences of plastic debris in UN discourse highlighted by experts - Health specialists issue alerts on potential health hazards linked to plastic debris as United Nations discussions loom
The United Nations negotiations in Geneva, known as INC-5.2, have taken on a renewed sense of urgency as experts and representatives from nearly 180 countries gather to discuss the global crisis of plastic pollution.
One of the key voices calling for action is Dr. Philip Landrigan, a physician and researcher, who emphasized the need for delegates to seize this opportunity to address the crisis.
Current scientific findings indicate that microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals pose significant and diverse health risks across all human life stages, with particular vulnerability for unborn babies and young children. Documented health effects linked to plastics include impaired reproductive function, perinatal problems such as miscarriage and low birthweight, reduced cognitive ability, insulin resistance, hypertension, childhood obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
However, large knowledge gaps remain about the risks posed by most plastic chemicals. More than two-thirds of over 7,000 known plastic-associated substances have insufficient toxicological data, although about 75% of those assessed present hazards like toxicity, persistence in the environment, bioaccumulation, and mobility.
The exposure pathways occur throughout the plastic lifecycle, affecting vulnerable populations such as informal waste workers, children, marginalized communities, and women, raising concerns of environmental justice and human rights.
Economically, the health burden and associated costs of plastic pollution are enormous, with global losses estimated at $1.5 trillion annually and over $920 billion in the U.S. alone, attributed to diseases and disabilities linked to plastic chemicals like PBDE, BPA, and DEHP.
In the context of the ongoing UN talks, these findings provide critical scientific motivation. The treaty being discussed seeks to address the full lifecycle of plastics, from production and design to waste management, responding to the projected increase in global plastic waste expected to reach 1.7 billion metric tons by 2060 with cumulative economic costs as high as $281 trillion.
Dr. Landrigan appealed to delegates to find "common ground" to tackle the global crisis of plastic pollution, emphasizing the need for preventive measures, stricter regulation of toxic plastic chemicals, improved waste management, and international cooperation to protect public health across generations.
The health risks associated with plastics, combined with environmental and economic consequences, underscore the urgency for robust global action through this treaty to reduce plastic pollution and control hazardous chemicals embedded in plastics. The treaty discussions in Geneva must incorporate these health dimensions to effectively mitigate plastic-related disease burdens worldwide.
Community health policy must address the health risks posed by microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals, as they impact all human life stages and have been linked to various medical conditions such as reproductive issues, cardiovascular disease, stroke, certain cancers, and more. To tackle the global crisis of plastic pollution, it is essential to implement preventive measures, regulate toxic plastic chemicals, enhance waste management, and cooperate internationally in the name of environmental science and health-and-wellness.
