Plastics represent a “grave, growing, and under-recognised danger” to human health, starting from infantry, according to new research published in The Lancet.
Health-related impacts from plastics cost healthcare systems €1.3 trillion annually, driven largely by the sharp rise in plastic production, especially single-use plastics like water bottles. Global plastic output reached 457 million tons per year in 2022, up from just 2 million in 1950, and is projected to soar to 1.2 billion tons by 2060.
Every stage of plastic production harms both human health and the environment: it pollutes the air, exposes people to toxic chemicals, and enters the body in the form of microplastics.
With only 10% of plastics being recycled, the planet is currently contaminated with an estimated 8 billion tons of plastic waste.
Plastics are made from over 16,000 chemical substances, many of which pose health risks. In particular, exposure to plastics during infantry has been linked to lung problems, childhood cancer, and other complications. Microplastics have even been found in human bone marrow and are associated with heart disease and strokes.
With only 10% of plastics being recycled, the planet is currently contaminated with an estimated 8 billion tons of plastic waste. Plastic waste is now so widespread it has been found everywhere, from the summit of Mount Everest to the deepest parts of the oceans.
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