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unfavorable healthy global consequences plastic The number of systems is expected to more than double by 2040 because greenhouse gases, air pollutants and the toxic chemicals released throughout its life cycle.
A new study published in Lancet Planetary Health On Monday, the wide range of health hazards associated with plastics were highlighted.
Researchers identified risks at every stage, from extraction fossil fuels From material production to plastic disposal and its subsequent release into the environment.
These include a range of serious illnesses such as respiratory disease, various cancers and the wider health impacts of global warming.
The modeling study, led by experts from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the Universities of Toulouse and Exeter, analyzed various future scenarios for plastic production, consumption and waste management between 2016 and 2040.
Under a “business as usual” scenario, their findings suggest that the negative health impacts of plastic could double.
According to models, greenhouse gas emissions and associated global warming will account for 40% of these health hazards.
Air pollution (mainly from the plastic production process) may account for 32%, while the impact of toxic chemicals released into the environment may account for 27%.
Less than 1% is related to reduced water availability, effects on the ozone layer, and increased ionizing radiation.
Researchers say the study is the first to assess the global loss of healthy life due to plastic emissions.
Without changes to current systems, annual health impacts could more than double, from 2.1 million years lost in 2016 to 4.5 million years lost in 2040.
Overall, the study estimates it could reduce human health life by 83 million years between 2016 and 2040.
The study found that taking action to increase plastic waste collection or recycling alone would have little impact on reducing the global health burden.
But combined with measures in comprehensive system changes, which will also involve production restrictions, the model shows that the global health burden of plastics will be reduced by 43% by 2040 compared with a business-as-usual scenario.
Megan Deeney, author of the study and LSHTM researcher, said: “The onus for solving the problem is often placed on us as individual consumers of plastics, but while we all have an important role to play in reducing plastic use, our analysis shows that systemic change is needed ‘from cradle to grave’ in plastic production, use and disposal.”
“Government and industry transparency require more ambitious action to curb this growing global plastic public health crisis.
“Industry non-disclosure and inconsistent reporting of the chemical content of plastics severely limits the ability of life cycle assessments (LCA) to provide effective policies to protect people, ecosystems and the environment.”
Co-author Professor Xiaoyu Yan, from the University of Exeter, said: “We have shown that repurposing modeling methods commonly used to assess the environmental footprint of individual products and technologies is an increasingly important tool for addressing sustainability issues on a wider scale.
“Our research shows that this approach can help reveal the huge impact of plastic on human health throughout its life cycle.
“We need urgent action now to reduce the impact of plastic on the environment and ultimately on human health.”