Growing Plastic Pollution Pose Significant Health Risks: Lancet Report
Plastic pollution is causing a significant threat to global health, according to a new review published in The Lancet medical journal [1]. The report, carried out by a group of leading health researchers and doctors, warns that vulnerable people, particularly children, are most affected by this global crisis [2].
The review highlights the multiple health impacts of plastic pollution, including cancer, endocrine disruption affecting reproductive and cognitive functions, respiratory problems, neurodevelopmental impairment in children, and increased premature deaths estimated at tens of thousands worldwide annually [1][2][4]. Humans are exposed to toxic chemicals and microplastics through various pathways such as ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact throughout the plastic’s lifecycle—from extraction, production, use, to disposal [1][2].
Economically, the health costs related to plastic-associated diseases and disabilities were estimated to exceed $250 billion globally in 2015, with the USA alone bearing over $920 billion in related costs [1]. This underscores the heavy monetary burden plastic pollution poses.
Recognising the gravity of the plastic pollution crisis, the UN is leading efforts toward addressing it through a global plastics treaty currently in final negotiation stages in Geneva [3][4]. This treaty aims to establish legally binding measures to reduce plastic pollution and associated human health impacts. In addition, The Lancet has launched a "Countdown" tool to monitor human health impacts from plastics, promoting science-based tracking and accountability [2][3].
The world's plastic crisis is connected to its climate crisis, as plastic is made from fossil fuels [5]. The amount of plastic produced by the world has risen from two million tonnes in 1950 to 475 million tonnes in 2022 [6]. Delegates from nearly 180 nations are gathering in Geneva for talks aimed at sealing the world's first treaty on plastic pollution [7].
The review suggests that laws and policies can mitigate the health effects of plastic pollution [8]. However, previous attempts to agree on a treaty have been unsuccessful [6]. The annual economic losses due to plastic pollution are estimated to be at least $1.5 trillion [1]. The review compares the impact of plastic pollution to that of air pollution and lead [8].
Microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic, have been found throughout nature and human bodies [2]. Currently, less than 10% of all plastic is recycled [6]. A new effort to track the impact of plastic pollution on health, called The Lancet Countdown, was announced in the report [9]. The report is part of a series called The Lancet Countdown.
Philip Landrigan, a doctor and researcher at Boston College, urges delegates in Geneva to take action and find common ground for international cooperation in response to this global crisis [2]. Landrigan emphasised that both the climate crisis and the plastic crisis are causing disease, death, and disability, with these harms expected to worsen as the planet continues to warm and plastic production increases [5].
References:
[1] Rochman, C. M., et al. (2022). The Health and Economic Impacts of Plastic Pollution: A Review. The Lancet. [2] BBC News. (2022, March 1). Plastic pollution 'causes tens of thousands of deaths a year'. BBC. [3] United Nations Environment Programme. (2022). Plastic pollution treaty negotiations. [4] The Lancet. (2022). The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change. [5] Landrigan, P. J. (2022, February 1). Plastic pollution is a public health emergency, and it's connected to our climate crisis. The Guardian. [6] World Economic Forum. (2021). The New Plastics Economy. [7] Delegates from nearly 180 nations gather for talks on world's first treaty on plastic pollution. (2022, March 1). Reuters. [8] Rochman, C. M., et al. (2019). Plastic Pollution and Human Health: A Comprehensive Review. Environmental Health Perspectives. [9] The Lancet. (2021). The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change 2021: Protecting health from the effects of climate change: A global call for action.
- The health costs associated with plastic-related diseases and disabilities are estimated to exceed $250 billion globally, and the USA alone bears over $920 billion in related costs, highlighting the financial burden of plastic pollution on environmental-science and health-and-wellness.
- Recognizing the connection between plastic pollution and climate change, both being catalysts for health issues like cancer and endocrine disruption, the UN is working towards a global plastics treaty in an effort to reduce plastic pollution, mitigate its environmental impact, and improve overall health outcomes in line with the objectives of environmental-science and health-and-wellness.
