Plastic pollution is an underrecognized threat to health, experts warn

Ahead of the expected finalization of a UN global plastics treaty, a group of international experts calls for a greater focus on health impacts when considering plastic pollution. The Health Policy published in The Lancet reviews the current evidence on how plastics—including microplastics and plastic chemicals—impact health and announces the launch of a new project tracking these impacts: the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics.

It is projected that without changes, plastic production will almost triple between 2019 and 2060. The Health Policy discusses evidence that plastics endanger human health at every stage of their life cycle—in production, use, and disposal—and highlights:

• Airborne emissions from plastic production include particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides as well as hazardous chemicals to which plastic workers can be exposed.
• There is a lack of transparency around which chemicals are present in plastics, their production volumes, uses, and known or potential toxicity, and many plastic chemicals are associated with multiple health effects at all stages of human life.
• Microplastics have been reported in human tissues and body fluid, and while further research is needed to understand the relationship with potential health impacts, a precautionary approach is warranted.
• An estimated 57% of unmanaged plastic waste is burned in the open—a major source of air pollution in low- and middle-income countries.
• Plastic waste can provide a habitat for mosquitoes to lay their eggs and for the growth of microorganisms, potentially contributing to the spread of vector-borne diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

Based on the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics will identify and track a series of indicators that document the impacts of plastics and plastic chemicals on human health across all stages of the plastic life cycle. The first indicator report is expected in mid-2026.