The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health

Annals of Global Health, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 89(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 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.

Язык: Английский

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The factors influencing the vertical transport of microplastics in marine environment: A review

The Science of The Total Environment, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 870, С. 161893 - 161893

Опубликована: Янв. 31, 2023

Язык: Английский

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Weathering and fragmentation of plastic debris in the ocean environment

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 180, С. 113761 - 113761

Опубликована: Июнь 1, 2022

Язык: Английский

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Large quantities of small microplastics permeate the surface ocean to abyssal depths in the South Atlantic Gyre

Global Change Biology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 28(9), С. 2991 - 3006

Опубликована: Янв. 20, 2022

Hundreds of studies have surveyed plastic debris in surface ocean gyre and convergence zones, however, comprehensive microplastics (MPs, ≤5 mm) assessments beneath these accumulation areas are lacking. Using situ high-volume filtration, Manta net MultiNet sampling, combined with micro-Fourier-transform-infrared imaging, we discovered a high abundance (up to 244.3 pieces per cubic meter [n m-3 ]) small (SMPs, characteristically <100 μm) from the near-sea floor waters remote South Atlantic Subtropical Gyre. Large horizontal vertical variations abundances SMP were observed, displaying inverse trends some cases. pump samples more than two orders magnitude higher large (LMPs, >300 concurrently collected samples. Higher-density polymers (e.g., alkyd resins polyamide) comprised >65% total sample count, highlighting discrepancy between polymer compositions previous surface-based surveys, typically dominated by buoyant such as polyethylene polypropylene. Contrary reports stating LMP preferentially accumulated at density gradients, presumably slower sinking rates much less influenced thus resulting even distribution water column, potentially longer residence times. Overall, our findings suggest that is critical largely underexplored constituent oceanic inventory. Additionally, data support weak current systems contribute formation hotspots depth, implying encounter rate for subsurface particle feeders. Our study unveils prevalence plastics entire urgency quantification deep-ocean MP, particularly smaller size fraction, better understand ecosystem exposure predict MP fate impacts.

Язык: Английский

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Plastics in the global environment assessed through material flow analysis, degradation and environmental transportation

The Science of The Total Environment, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 875, С. 162644 - 162644

Опубликована: Март 7, 2023

Knowledge on environmental plastic emission and spatial temporal accumulation is vital for the development of successful mitigation strategies risk assessments plastics. In this study, emissions both micro macro from value chain to environment were assessed a global level through mass flow analysis (MFA). All countries, 10 sectors, 8 polymers 7 compartments (terrestrial, freshwater or oceanic) are distinguished in model. The results assess loss 0.8 million tonnes (mt) microplastics 8.7 mt macroplastics 2017. This respectively 0.2 % 2.1 plastics produced same year. packaging sector contributed most macroplastic emissions, tyre wear microplastic emissions. With MFA results, accumulation, degradation transportation considered Accumulation dispersion model (ADM) until 2050. predicts macro- 2.2 gigatonnes (Gt) 3.1 Gt 2050 (scenario: yearly consumption increase 4 %). will be 30 less when production reduction 1 modeled 1.5 2.3 respectively. Almost 2.15 accumulate with zero after 2022 due leakage landfills processes. Results compared other modeling studies quantifying environment. current study lower ocean higher surface waters like lakes rivers. Non aquatic, terrestrial observed emitted approach used flexible adaptable that addresses over time space, detail country compartments.

Язык: Английский

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Aquatic plastisphere: Interactions between plastics and biofilms

Environmental Pollution, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 322, С. 121196 - 121196

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2023

Язык: Английский

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Biofilms in plastisphere from freshwater wetlands: Biofilm formation, bacterial community assembly, and biogeochemical cycles

Journal of Hazardous Materials, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 476, С. 134930 - 134930

Опубликована: Июнь 18, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Microplastic aging processes: Environmental relevance and analytical implications

TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 172, С. 117566 - 117566

Опубликована: Янв. 30, 2024

The analysis of microplastics (MPs) in terrestrial environments and the evaluation their environmental risk has gained great attention, owing to increasing evidence for widespread presence soils freshwater sediments globally. Once environment, MPs undergo abiotic biotic processes which alter properties integrity: this process is called "aging" implications fate these contaminants, morphology surface chemistry. Aging may also affect analytical assessment samples: samples likely contain aged MPs, while methods are generally established using pristine plastics validation. This can lead uncertainties quantification characterization. critical review summarizes current trends simulation characterization MP aging laboratory conditions, highlighting limitations knowledge gaps. It discusses challenges induced by samples, providing directions toward possible solutions.

Язык: Английский

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Sustainable polymer composite marine structures: Developments and challenges

Progress in Materials Science, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 145, С. 101307 - 101307

Опубликована: Апрель 21, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Assessment of microplastics and associated ecological risk in the longest river (Godavari) of peninsular India: A comprehensive source-to-sink analysis in water, sediment and fish

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 212, С. 117560 - 117560

Опубликована: Янв. 18, 2025

Язык: Английский

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