Our PLASYS24 focus

There is astounding evidence regarding the serious impact of plastics on the environment (animals, ecosystems) and a tremendous effort to understand and unveil damage to human health. Research continues to reveal effects of the chemicals used in plastic production: from additives to legacy substances circulated via recycling and non-intentionally added substances. When assessing the full lifecycle of plastic, we realize that its impact on health and the environment occurs not only downstream, at the stages of pollution and leakage, but also upstream, during production and use. Understanding the extent of the challenge, quantifying it via hazard or risk approaches will have direct implications on the potential solutions additives we seek: from bans as discussed for PFAS, to novel biobased additives.

In the meantime, despite plastics being lifesaving in certain medical applications, each day the open uncontrolled burning of plastics, largely where municipal solid wase is not collected, jeopardize the health of billions across the Global South – a very aggressive form of plastic pollution. Altogether, across the production or waste management phase, plastics contribute to the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, with the prospects looking worse, year after year. Solutions are urgently needed that deliver overall much higher human health benefits and eliminate damage.