Leading medics say patients are paying the price of plastic pollution

Leading global doctors have called for policymakers to address the healthcare costs of plastic pollution.

This comes ahead of the final round of negotiations for the UN Global Plastic Treaty in November. The doctors expressed their deep concern, stating that the current draft of the UN Global Plastic Treaty “will fail to effectively address the true cost of plastic on health unless it changes course.”

The letter emphasizes the staggering financial burden of plastic pollution on public health. In the US alone, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in plastics cost the U.S. at least $250 billion in economic impact in 2018.

Led by the Plastic Health Council – a collection of leading global scientists and campaigners – the letter urges delegates to place the scientific evidence on plastic’s human health impact at the core of any future UN Treaty.

Signatories come from leading medical institutions and doctors such as representatives from the Health Care Without Harm, University of Washington, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, and New York University Grossman School of Medicine.

They assert that the Treaty “must reduce the production volume of plastics, commit to funding sustainable chemistry research to create safe replacements, and mandate comprehensive testing of all chemicals in plastics.”

Recent scientific studies have uncovered microplastics in human blood1, placentas2, breast milk3, and testicles4 with the material responsible for wide-ranging health impacts including raised risk of stroke, heart attack, and premature death.

Coinciding with the letter, the Plastic Health Council gathered this week for a two-day summit at New York University’s Plastic Health Symposium attended by scientists, policymakers, and UN delegates.

Focused on the health impact of plastic and the solutions and laws needed to mitigate its impact, the summit was attended by leading scientists, industry representatives, the chair of the UN Global Plastics Treaty INCs, and members of the US Government.

The Plastic Health Council has been actively involved in each round of negotiations since 2023.

At the fourth session of the International Negotiating Committee (INC) in Nairobi, Kenya, the Council presented the Health Scientists Global Plastics Treaty—a proposed alternative to the current UN draft that aims to more comprehensively address the health risks associated with plastics.

The fifth and final round of the International Negotiating Committee is due to take place in Busan, South Korea in November, with the Plastic Health Council scientists working to ensure the Treaty’s provisions effectively address the health impact of the material.

Professor Leonardo Trasande, New York University Grossman School of Medicine Director, Division of Environmental Pediatrics, warns that the plastic crisis is causing significant health and economic costs and that addressing this issue is crucial for a sustainable future.

Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet and the Plastic Health Council, argues that plastics have caused a public health crisis, polluting our planet and bodies. With half the world’s population voting this year, they demand action to protect the planet, health, and economy. Doctors unite to call on policymakers to fight against plastic health hazards.