Leading scientists and campaigners have warned governments that ignoring the impact of plastic on human health is ‘delusional’ at the final round of negotiations for a UN Global Plastics Treaty.
The Plastic Health Council, co-founded by Plastic Soup Foundation and A Plastic Planet, was joined by Earth Action, Greenpeace and BreakFreeFromPlastic at INC 5 in Busan in calling for a robust Treaty that cuts plastic production to shield future generations from the impact of plastic and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) entering human bodies.
The event marked the release of Scientists Speak Out, a film produced by Plastic Soup Foundation.
The documentary interviews leading health scientist Professor Thais Mauad, University of Sao Paulo, who made a world-first discovery of the presence of plastic in the brain earlier this year.
‘If you don’t think that plastic will affect you, it is a delusion. Microplastics in our body affect the DNA structure of cells, damaging our health. I’m afraid of plastic as production is increasing and our health will be increasingly exposed to these adverse consequences.
‘The duty of a government is to protect its people. When a government allows the plastic industry to use toxic plastic additives, the government is supporting the development of disease and not protecting the population. It instead protects the profits of the fossil fuel industry.
‘Those with the ability to make real change are policymakers, and such action is a political choice. We do not have to lose this battle.’PROFESSOR THAIS MAUAD
Leading health scientist
To coincide with the event, new research released by Earth Action provides guidance to financial institutions on how to integrate financial risks associated with plastic in corporate valuations.
According to Earth Action’s research, today’s financial valuation models do not fully capture such plastic pollution risks, highlighting the need for increased corporate disclosure of plastic usage and the opportunity for the UN Treaty to provide clarity to financial institutions on potential corporate risk from the use of plastic.
A pilot study, produced in collaboration with insurance provider a.s.r and Dutch NGO Plastic Soup Foundation, assessed plastic pollution and the associated health risks from the activities of a select group of companies in a.s.r.’s investment portfolio. a.s.r. evaluated indirect and direct health impacts of plastic pollution.
The pilot’s findings suggest that a plastic footprint score should be used to guide sustainable investment decisions that acknowledge the material’s health impact.
‘We are pleased to collaborate with Plastic Soup Foundation and Earth Action on this research. At a.s.r., we acknowledge the importance of understanding and recognising the real risks of plastic pollution, not only for our health and that of our planet but also for the financial stability of businesses.
‘This research highlights the need for greater transparency and clear guidelines so that we can collectively work towards a future where plastic pollution is reduced and future generations are protected. We therefore support the call for a robust UN treaty that pursues these goals.’ROSANNE DE BOER
Corporate Spokesperson for a.s.r.
The plastic footprint methodology, developed by the Plastic Footprint Network, refers to the process of evaluating the effect that the plastic generated by an individual, organisation, community or country has on the environment.
The assessment methodology is similar to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which provides the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standards for organisations, governments and NGOs.
According to the research, a plastic footprint measurement including health impact metrics would allow investors to evaluate high-risk companies for targeted engagement on plastic reduction and advocate for increased corporate transparency in plastic footprint reporting.
More than 500 million metric tonnes of plastic are produced every year for use in a wide variety of applications. Scientists have compiled a list of over 16,000 chemicals present in plastic products and found that more than 4,000 of these are hazardous to human health and the environment.
A range of health concerns are linked to plastic chemicals including obesity, fertility issues, increased risk of autism and cancer. In the US alone, the annual health and economic costs due to chemical additives included in plastic exceeds $250 billion.
In November 2023, the Plastic Health Council launched the ‘Health Scientists’ Global Plastics Treaty’ as an alternative to the draft Treaty being drafted by delegates.
The scientists believe that an impactful Treaty must reduce the production volumes of plastics, eradicate all but verifiably essential single-use plastic items, mandate proper testing of all chemicals in plastics and prohibit ‘chemical recycling’ of plastic.
With continued plastic usage presenting a $100 billion annual financial risk to businesses by 2040, researchers believe corporate failure to mitigate the impact could result in financial risk and legal action that impairs the profitability of an organisation.
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