Emissions from the global plastics system, including greenhouse gases, air-polluting particles, and toxic chemicals from production processes, may double health risks by 2040 if current practices persist, as per a study. The research, published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, highlighted health hazards at all stages of the plastics life-cycle, from fossil fuel extraction to disposal. Comparing various future scenarios for plastics consumption and waste management, the study projected a potential doubling of negative health impacts by 2040 under a ‘business as usual’ scenario.
The study indicated that by 2040, under such a scenario, the adverse health effects from plastics could double, with greenhouse gas emissions contributing 40% of the health harms. Air pollution, mainly from plastics production processes, would account for 32%, while the impact of toxic chemicals released during plastics’ life cycles would make up 27% of the health risks. The researchers also noted minor health impacts related to reduced water availability, ozone layer effects, and increased ionizing radiation.
According to the model, if no changes are made to policy, economics, infrastructure, materials, or consumer behaviors within the plastics system, annual health impacts could more than double from 2.1 million healthy years of life lost in 2016 to 4.5 million in 2040. The study estimated that the global plastics system could lead to a reduction of 83 million years of healthy population life between 2016 and 2040. Additionally, the research suggested that improving plastic waste collection and recycling alone might not have a significant impact, but when combined with material substitution or reuse, it could reduce health impacts associated with plastic emissions.
The study emphasized the need for policymakers to regulate and reduce the production of new plastics for non-essential purposes to effectively mitigate plastic emissions and their health impacts.
