A REPORT released last month by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) noted that chemicals released throughout the life cycle of plastics pose serious health and environmental threats, and should be the focus of global regulations.
The review, “Chemicals in Plastics: A Technical Report,” explored issues related to the invisible health threats posed by over 13,000 chemicals associated with plastics and the need for global chemical controls and approaches that promote reducing plastic production.
Hazardous chemicals can be emitted and released at all stages of the life cycle of plastics, leading to ecosystem and human exposures. Chemicals from plastics have been found to be associated with a wide range of acute, chronic, or multi-generational toxic effects, including organ toxicity, cancer, genetic mutations, reproductive toxicity, etc.
The increasing production of plastics and associated chemicals will result in increasing pollution levels and associated environmental, social, and economic costs, UN warned.
The report identified 10 groups of chemicals of major concern due to their high toxicity and potential to migrate or be released from plastics, including specific flame retardants, certain ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, bisphenols, alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates, biocides, certain metals and metalloids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and many non-intentionally added substances (NIAS).
Globally, about 22 million tons of plastics and chemicals from these plastics are released to the environment every year. Most chemicals used or found in plastics can migrate or leach out over time, and chemical releases from plastics during production, use, and waste disposal can contaminate air, water, soils, and food chains, with consequent risks to human health.
Because plastics travel the globe, toxic chemicals from plastics are found in every corner of the planet, demonstrating the need for global chemical and plastic controls.
Most plastic wastes and their associated chemicals are disposed of in landfills or dumpsites or leak directly into the environment, largely in developing countries. Chemicals from waste plastics are released from landfills and dumps, contaminating groundwater, soil, and food chains in surrounding environments. Some toxic chemicals common in plastics have been detected at high concentrations in closed landfills even 50 years after closure.
We have a plastics crisis. While much attention has focused on visible plastic litter and clean-up, limiting – or even banning – plastic production and use will be a more effective solution to the plastics crisis.
