If we do not reduce our dependence on plastic, research shows that health-related damage will more than double within the next 15 years.
According to a study published in the medical journal 《Lancet Planetary Health》, if the current trend continues, the health burden from plastic is expected to double by 2040, leading to a loss of 4.5 million years of healthy life globally each year.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine analyzed that the causes of these impacts are pollutants generated during the plastic production process, including greenhouse gases, fine dust, and toxic chemical emissions.
Plastic is used in nearly every field, from food packaging to transportation and construction. According to global manufacturing data, plastic production is one of the fastest-growing industrial systems on the planet.
The research team investigated the health impacts across the entire life cycle of plastic, from fossil fuel extraction (which constitutes over 90% of the raw materials for plastic) to manufacturing, usage, final disposal, or environmental emissions. They also compared various future scenarios related to plastic consumption and waste management from 2016 to 2040.
The study estimated that pollution generated from plastic production, usage, and disposal processes in 2016 was associated with approximately 2.1 million years of disability-adjusted life years (DALY) lost globally. DALY is a measure of how much healthy life people lose due to disability or premature death.
It was estimated that damage from greenhouse gas emissions and global warming accounts for about 40% of the total damage. Air pollution generated during the plastic production process is estimated to account for about 32%, while toxic chemicals emitted throughout the entire life cycle of plastic account for about 27%.
The research team stated, "This study likely underestimates the actual scale of damage because it did not include health impacts from direct exposure to plastic chemicals during product use or from microplastics."
