The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health

Annals of Global Health, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 89(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

Plastics have conveyed great benefits to humanity and made possible some of the most significant advances modern civilization in fields as diverse medicine, electronics, aerospace, construction, food packaging, sports. It is now clear, however, that plastics are also responsible for harms human health, economy, earth's environment. These occur at every stage plastic life cycle, from extraction coal, oil, gas its main feedstocks through ultimate disposal into The extent these not been systematically assessed, their magnitude fully quantified, economic costs comprehensively counted.The goals this Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Human Health examine plastics' impacts across cycle on: (1) health well-being; (2) global environment, especially ocean; (3) economy; (4) vulnerable populations-the poor, minorities, world's children. On basis examination, offers science-based recommendations designed support development a Global Treaty, protect save lives.This report contains seven Sections. Following an Introduction, Section 2 presents narrative review processes involved production, use, notes hazards environment associated with each stages. 3 describes ocean potential enter marine web result exposure. 4 details health. 5 first-order estimate health-related costs. 6 examines intersection between plastic, social inequity, environmental injustice. 7 Commission's findings recommendations.Plastics complex, highly heterogeneous, synthetic chemical materials. Over 98% produced fossil carbon- oil gas. comprised carbon-based polymer backbone thousands additional chemicals incorporated polymers convey specific properties such color, flexibility, stability, water repellence, flame retardation, ultraviolet resistance. Many added toxic. They include carcinogens, neurotoxicants endocrine disruptors phthalates, bisphenols, per- poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), brominated retardants, organophosphate retardants. integral components many environment.Global production has increased almost exponentially since World War II, time more than 8,300 megatons (Mt) manufactured. Annual volume grown under Mt 1950 460 2019, 230-fold increase, track triple by 2060. More half all ever 2002. Single-use account 35-40% current represent rapidly growing segment manufacture.Explosive recent growth reflects deliberate pivot integrated multinational fossil-carbon corporations produce manufacture plastics. reducing fuels increasing manufacture. two principal factors decreasing demand due increases 'green' energy, massive expansion fracking.Plastic energy-intensive contributes significantly climate change. At present, estimated 3.7% greenhouse emissions, contribution Brazil. This fraction projected increase 4.5% 2060 if trends continue unchecked.The three phases: disposal. In carbon feedstocks-coal, gas, oil-are transformed energy-intensive, catalytic vast array products. Plastic use occurs aspect results widespread exposure contained plastic. constitute largest portion followed fibers construction.Plastic inefficient, recovery recycling rates below 10% globally. 22 waste enters year, much it single-use gigatons accumulated 1950. Strategies controlled uncontrolled landfilling, open burning, thermal conversion, export. Vast quantities exported year high-income low-income countries, where accumulates landfills, pollutes air water, degrades vital ecosystems, befouls beaches estuaries, health-environmental injustice scale. Plastic-laden e-waste particularly problematic.Plastics plastic-associated pollution. contaminate aquatic (marine freshwater), terrestrial, atmospheric environments destination found throughout ocean, including coastal regions, sea surface, deep sea, polar ice. appear resist breakdown could persist decades. Macro- micro-plastic particles identified hundreds species major taxa, consumed humans. Trophic transfer microplastic within them demonstrated. Although themselves (>10 µm) undergo biomagnification, hydrophobic bioaccumulate animals biomagnify webs. amounts fates smaller nanoplastic (MNPs <10 poorly understood, but harm worrying given mobility biological systems. Adverse pollution multiple levels molecular biochemical population ecosystem. MNP contamination seafood direct, though well chemicals. Marine endangers ecosystems upon which depends food, oxygen, livelihood, well-being.Coal miners, workers field who extract suffer mortality traumatic injury, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, silicosis, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary lung cancer. risk leukemia, lymphoma, hepatic angiosarcoma, brain cancer, breast mesothelioma, neurotoxic decreased fertility. Workers producing textiles die bladder interstitial disease rates. toxic metal poisoning, neuropathy, Residents "fenceline" communities adjacent sites experience risks premature birth, low birth weight, asthma, childhood cancer.During disposal, release additives residual monomers people. National biomonitoring surveys USA document population-wide exposures disrupt function births, neurodevelopmental disorders, male reproductive defects, infertility, obesity, renal cancers. Chemical-laden MNPs formed degradation can living organisms, Emerging, albeit still incomplete evidence indicates may cause toxicity physical toxicological effects acting vectors transport bacterial pathogens tissues cells.Infants womb young children populations high plastic-related effects. Because exquisite sensitivity early hazardous children's unique patterns exposure, linked prematurity, stillbirth, defects organs, impairment, impaired growth, Early-life non-communicable diseases later life.Plastic's We 2015 exceeded $250 billion (2015 Int$) globally, alone disability caused PBDE, BPA DEHP $920 Int$). (GHG) emissions equivalent 1.96 dioxide (CO2e) annually. Using US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) cost metric, we annual GHG be $341 Int$).These costs, large they are, certainly underestimate full losses resulting negative All costs-and costs-are externalized petrochemical manufacturing industry borne citizens, taxpayers, governments countries around world without compensation.The adverse economy evenly distributed. disproportionately affect disempowered, marginalized workers, racial ethnic communities, Indigenous groups, women, children, whom had little do creating crisis lack political influence or resources address it. Plastics' harmful keenly felt South, small island states, disenfranchised areas North. Social justice (SEJ) principles require reversal inequitable burdens ensure no group bears disproportionate share those benefit economically bear fair currently costs.It clear sustainable societal injustices.The driver worsening exponential accelerating production. further magnified long persistence environment.The plastics-monomers, additives, processing agents, non-intentionally substances-include amongst number known disruptors, neurotoxicants, persistent organic pollutants. planetary leach out plastics, pollution, disease. efforts reduce must chemicals.To at-risk populations, put end 2040, supports urgent adoption nations strong comprehensive Treaty accord mandate set forth March 2022 resolution United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).International measures needed curb because transcend national boundaries, scale, well-being people poorest nations. Effective implementation will international action coordinated complemented interventions national, regional, local levels.This urges cap targets, timetables, contributions central provision Treaty. recommend inclusion following provisions:The needs extend beyond microplastics litter plastics.The banning severely restricting unnecessary, avoidable, problematic items, items manufactured microbeads.The requirements extended producer responsibility (EPR) make producers, manufacturers products legally financially safety end-of-life management materials sell.The reductions complexity products; health-protective standards additives; requirement non-toxic materials; disclosure components; traceability components. International cooperation essential implementing enforcing standards.The SEJ remedies fill gaps community knowledge advance both distributional procedural equity.This encourages calling exploration listing least pollutants (POPs) Stockholm Convention.This interface Basel London Conventions enhance slow exports least-developed countries.This recommends creation Permanent Science Policy Advisory Body guide Treaty's implementation. priorities would Member States other stakeholders evaluating solutions effective consumption, enhancing recycling, curbing generation waste. assess trade-offs among evaluate safer alternatives monitor transnational export coordinate robust oceanic-, land-, air-based monitoring programs.This investment research crisis. need determine cost-effective context particular proposed solutions. Oceanographic better measure concentrations µm understand distribution fate Biomedical elucidate MNPs.This finds boon stealth threat enormous benefits, linear pay attention design safe near absence recovery, reuse, grave damage, injustices. worsening.While there remain about uncertainties magnitude, available today demonstrates unequivocally severity intervention Manufacture continue. However, reckless ever-increasing unnecessary products, curbed.Global against failure act immense.

Language: Английский

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Microplastics: Detection in human samples, cell line studies, and health impacts

Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 101, P. 104204 - 104204

Published: June 28, 2023

Microplastics (MPs) are in all environmental compartments, including atmosphere, terrestrial, and aquatic environments as well marine organisms, foods, drinking water, indoor outdoor environments. MPs can enter the human body through food chain contaminated environment. Ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact routes of their entry into body. Recent studies reporting detection within have raised concern among scientific community knowledge about exposure is still very limited impact on health not well-understood yet. In this review article, we briefly cover reports evidencing MP body, e.g., stool, placenta, lungs, liver, sputum, breast milk, blood. A concise synopsis sample preparation analysis such matrices also provided. This article presents a summary effect cell lines health.

Language: Английский

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Human Exposure to Microplastics and Its Associated Health Risks

Environment & Health, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 1(3), P. 139 - 149

Published: Aug. 2, 2023

Microplastics are a globally emerging contaminant in the environment, but little is known about potential risks of microplastics to human health. Possible exposure routes humans include ingestion, inhalation, and dermal penetration, with last these needing equal attention as other two main routes. Evidence showed presence human-derived biological samples (i.e., excrement, biofluids, tissues). Most toxicological studies on were based laboratory rodents cells. Energy homeostasis, intestinal microflora, reproductive, immune, nervous systems regarded targets microplastics. The toxicity microstructures including lysosomes, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, nucleus further revealed health at cellular levels. As carrier, also had magnify contaminants environment (e.g., plasticizer, metals, antibiotics, microorganisms). Studies environmentally realistic conditions still their infancy many unsolved questions predict

Language: Английский

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Microplastics and nanoplastics in the terrestrial food chain: Uptake, translocation, trophic transfer, ecotoxicology, and human health risk

TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 167, P. 117249 - 117249

Published: Aug. 22, 2023

Language: Английский

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Microplastic pollution characteristics and its future perspectives in the Tibetan Plateau

Journal of Hazardous Materials, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 457, P. 131711 - 131711

Published: May 25, 2023

Language: Английский

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Micro(nano)plastics in the Human Body: Sources, Occurrences, Fates, and Health Risks

Environmental Science & Technology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 5, 2024

The increasing global attention on micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) is a result of their ubiquity in the water, air, soil, and biosphere, exposing humans to MNPs daily basis threatening human health. However, crucial data body, including sources, occurrences, behaviors, health risks, are limited, which greatly impedes any systematic assessment impact body. To further understand effects we must identify existing knowledge gaps that need be immediately addressed provide potential solutions these issues. Herein, examined current literature behaviors body as well risks. Furthermore, identified key resolved comprehensively assess Additionally, complexity lack efficient analytical methods main barriers impeding investigations necessitating development standard unified method. Finally, highlighted for interdisciplinary studies from environmental, biological, medical, chemical, computer, material scientists fill drive research. Considering inevitability occurrence exposure MNPs, more urgently required enhance our understanding negative

Language: Английский

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Microplastic Human Dietary Uptake from 1990 to 2018 Grew across 109 Major Developing and Industrialized Countries but Can Be Halved by Plastic Debris Removal

Environmental Science & Technology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 58(20), P. 8709 - 8723

Published: April 24, 2024

Microplastics (MPs), plastic particles smaller than 5 mm, are now a growing environmental and public health issue, as they detected pervasively in freshwater marine environments, ingested by organisms, then enter the human body. Industrial development drives this burden caused MP formation uptake elevating pollution levels shaping domestic dietary structure. We map across 109 global countries on five continents from 1990 to 2018, focusing world's major coastlines that affected affects United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 6 (Clean Water Sanitation), 14 (Life Below Water), 15 Land). Amid rapid industrial growth, Indonesia tops per capita intake at g monthly. In Asian, African, American countries, including China States, airborne increased over 6-fold 2018. Eradicating 90% of aquatic debris can help decrease more 48% Southeast Asian peak uptake. To reduce potential risks, governments developing industrialized Asia, Europe, Africa, North South America should incentivize removal free saltwater environments through advanced water treatment effective solid waste management practices.

Language: Английский

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Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), its additives, microplastic and human health: Unresolved and emerging issues

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 960, P. 178276 - 178276

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Microplastics contamination in seaweed: impacts on human health and mitigation approaches

Deleted Journal, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 2(1)

Published: Jan. 9, 2025

Marine algae, which are often overlooked but extremely versatile, proving to be a promising solution in the midst of environmental challenges. They used as raw materials various sectors and also serve food for humans. The rapid increase plastics poses an urgent ecological problem that requires immediate attention marine ecosystem. This study provides overview microplastics (MPs) pollution its harmful effects on human health. addresses research gaps future directions. data was collected from databases such Scopus, Web Science, Dimension, Pubmed Central. bibliometric analysis shows total 1020 articles were extracted study. Fibers, fragments, foam, films, microbeads most abundant MPs types found seaweed Fucus vesiculosus, Gracilaria lemaneiformis, Ulva flexuosa. Most MP's recorded U. prolifera, Caulerpa F. G. Chondrus ocellatus, lactuca. These contaminated with can cause oxidative damage, cytotoxicity, neurotoxicity carcinogenicity consumers. studies contamination algae conducted 2020, 2021 2022. suggests since consumed worldwide, additional field laboratory needed determine true situation. results suggest further is Further global needed, well continuous monitoring levels edible algae. Public awareness crucial minimize impact plastic oceans, innovative technologies, consumer choices responsibility. Interdisciplinary collaboration key sustainable coexistence environment.

Language: Английский

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Microplastics in coastal and marine environments: A critical issue of plastic pollution on marine organisms, seafood contaminations, and human health implications

Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100663 - 100663

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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