Plastic pollution is harming our health, not just the planet

We talk a lot about plastic pollution. We picture oceans full of bottles and fish swimming through bags. But plastic isn’t just an environmental problem – it’s becoming a health problem too. And most people don’t know it.

A new Lancet Health Policy review calls for change by highlighting how plastics harm people – not just the planet. The authors argue that human health must be a central focus as the UN finalizes its global plastics treaty.

The review also introduces a new project, the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, which will track how plastic affects our bodies at every stage of its life.

Health risks start at the factory

Plastic starts causing harm long before it reaches landfills. The damage begins during production. Plastics are not just an environmental issue – they are a profound public health concern.

Factories release dangerous particles and chemicals like PM2.5, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. These float into the air and settle into the lungs of workers and nearby residents. Many people breathe these every day without knowing.

One of the biggest issues is that no one is sure what’s in all this plastic. Many of the chemicals used don’t show up in public records. Scientists don’t know what they do to the human body. That’s a big issue when plastic use is growing fast and shows no sign of slowing down.

Plastic’s toxic second life

When a plastic bag or bottle is tossed out, it often doesn’t get recycled. In many places, it’s burned in open fires. Around 57 percent of unmanaged plastic waste ends up this way, releasing harmful smoke and adding to air pollution in low- and middle-income countries.

Burning plastic releases toxic smoke. People nearby breathe that in, especially children and older adults. This kind of exposure builds up over time. It can trigger lung diseases, heart problems, and more.

Plastic also becomes a disease carrier. Mosquitoes lay eggs in containers, and harmful microbes grow on plastic surfaces. Both spread illness. Add poor waste systems, and the problem gets worse quickly. You’re not just dealing with garbage – you’re dealing with public health emergencies.

Microplastic exposure is a health concern

Microplastics are plastic bits smaller than a grain of rice. You can’t see them, but they’re almost everywhere – in food, water, and even inside people.

“Microplastics have been reported in human tissues and body fluids, and while further research is needed to understand the relationship with potential health impacts, a precautionary approach is warranted,” the authors note.

That means we shouldn’t wait for perfect proof. If microplastics are showing up in blood or organs, we should act now. Waiting could mean letting the problem grow.

Researchers are racing to find out what microplastics do inside the body. Do they inflame tissues? Do they mess with hormones? No one knows for sure yet. But early signs say we should take this seriously.

Tracking the health impacts of plastic

To make sense of the data, the Lancet team has launched a tracking system: the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics.

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, inspired by the Health and Climate Change Countdown, will track key indicators showing how plastics and their chemicals affect human health throughout their entire life cycle.

In short, it will follow how plastic affects people from factory to trash heap. The first full report comes out in 2026. Until then, the team will collect health data linked to plastic exposure, use, and waste. They want to give world leaders a tool to act – not just guess.

Plastic treaty must protect human health

We’re close to having a global agreement on plastic, but it won’t be effective if it overlooks human health.

The message is clear. Plastic isn’t just a beach problem. It’s in our food, our lungs, and maybe even our bloodstream. The new treaty must address plastic like the emergency it is.

“Plastics are a grave, growing, and under-recognized danger to human and planetary health,” the experts wrote.

“Plastics cause disease and death from infancy to old age and are responsible for health-related economic losses exceeding US$1·5 trillion annually. These impacts fall disproportionately upon low-income and at-risk populations.”

The study is published in the journal The Lancet.

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