Ending pollution and health harms from plastics

Abstract

Corporate interests threaten the scope of the global plastics treaty Plastics are exacerbating pressures on all Earth’s planetary boundaries, compromising the foundations of healthy human life.1 Greenhouse gases, toxic chemicals, microplastics, and nanoplastics are released across the entire plastics life cycle—from the extraction of fossil feedstocks that form over 90% of plastics, to polymer and product manufacturing, (re)use, recycling, and end-of-life fates.2 Ending plastics pollution is a global health imperative,3 essential to protecting the human right to health4 and to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.5 In 2025, almost 500 million tonnes of primary plastics will be produced globally and over 400 million tonnes of plastics waste generated, most of which will be sent to landfill, incinerated, dumped, or burnt.6 Two gigatons of greenhouse gases will be emitted across plastics life cycles and more than 24 million tonnes of plastics, including microplastics and nanoplastics, will leak into land, rivers, and oceans.6 Further delays in decisive action will likely see these figures rise and accumulate since plastics production is set to double again by 2060.6 Human health is at risk from the beginning of plastics life …