Plastic pollution is increasingly seen as a serious but underestimated threat to human health. A group of international scientists and doctors has raised the alarm ahead of a United Nations conference to discuss a global agreement on plastics management.
In an analysis published in the prestigious journal The Lancet, 27 experts warn that plastic harms human health at every stage of its life cycle – from production, use, to decomposition. The most affected are infants and young children, who are more sensitive to harmful substances.
“Plastic has acted as an invisible threat, in the shadow of the climate crisis and air pollution. But new evidence shows that its impact is much greater than previously thought,” said Dr. Philip Landrigan, lead author of the report and director of the Global Observatory for Planetary Health at Boston College.
The statements come ahead of a new round of negotiations in Geneva, where delegates from 170 countries will discuss an international agreement to reduce plastics. The previous round in South Korea failed due to opposition from fossil fuel-dependent countries, which refused to support restrictions on plastic production.
The report highlights a clear link between exposure to plastic and several serious chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory problems and weakened immune systems. However, a full assessment of the overall impact on global health is still lacking.
Just three of the most commonly used chemicals in plastic, including bisphenol A (BPA), cause damage estimated at about $1.5 trillion each year in 38 countries. BPA is linked to over 237 deaths from heart disease and 194 deaths from stroke.
To monitor this issue more carefully, a new independent mechanism has been created: the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, which will monitor the impact of plastics on public health globally.
Dr. Landrigan stressed that it is not about banning plastic altogether, but about reducing its unnecessary use. “We need to distinguish between essential uses and harmful ones – like single-use plastics, which account for nearly 40% of global production,” he stressed.
While the US, influenced by former President Trump's policies, continues to oppose international environmental agreements, experts remain skeptical about the results of the negotiations in Geneva. However, some countries such as Brazil are taking the lead and pushing for the gradual elimination of the most dangerous plastics./Albinfo.ch
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