NEWS – As global negotiations resume in Geneva for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, a Lancet report has issued a stark warning on the widespread health and environmental harm caused by plastic pollution.

HIGHLIGHTS

Key Highlights of the Lancet Report:

• Plastics linked to diseases across life stages, causing over $1.5 trillion in annual health-related economic losses.
• Disproportionate impact on low-income and vulnerable populations.
• Introduces a new Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, modeled on the Health and Climate Change Countdown, to monitor global plastic-related health impacts.

Global Action and Policy Needs:

• Urges international agreement and evidence-based laws to mitigate plastics’ health and planetary harm.
• Effective implementation and policy enforcement seen as key enablers to success.

Health and Environmental Threats:

• Since 1950, 10 billion tons of plastic produced; 8 gigatons now persist in the environment.
• Plastics contain 16,000+ chemicals, many toxic or untested, including carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.
• Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) found in human organs and fluids – including blood, breastmilk, placenta, and brain.
• MNPs may cross biological barriers, with early links to lung disease, IBD, liver cirrhosis, heart attack, and stroke.

Treaty Negotiation Context:

• Current round is part of the 5th session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC).
• Talks aim to finalize a global, legally binding treaty to address plastic pollution across its life cycle.