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Plastic Emissions Could Double Global Health Risks by 2040, Study Warns

A new study published in The Lancet Planetary Health warns that health impacts from global plastic emissions could double by 2040 under a business-as-usual scenario. The research models harms across the entire plastic lifecycle, from fossil fuel extraction to disposal, with production and open burning causing the greatest damage. It found that improving waste collection and recycling alone would have minimal impact on reducing these health burdens. The authors conclude that policymakers must urgently regulate and reduce the production of new plastics for non-essential uses to mitigate the crisis.

Key Points: Plastic Emissions to Double Health Risks by 2040: Lancet Study

  • Health harms double by 2040
  • Production & burning cause most harm
  • Recycling alone has little impact
  • Policy must cut new plastic production
2 min read

Plastics emissions to double health risks worldwide by 2040: Study

New study in The Lancet warns emissions from plastics production could double global health impacts by 2040 without urgent policy action.

"We found that emissions throughout plastics lifecycles contributed to human health burdens - Megan Deeney, London School"

New Delhi, Jan 27

Emissions from the global plastics system --greenhouse gases, air-polluting particles, and toxic chemicals released particularly from plastics production processes -- could double health risks by 2040, if no meaningful action is taken to change current practices, according to a study on Tuesday.

The research, published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal, identified health harms at every stage of the life-cycle of the plastics: from the extraction of fossil fuels, the feedstocks for more than 90 per cent of plastics, and material production to their eventual disposal or release to the environment.

The modelling-based study compared the global human health impacts of several different future scenarios for plastics consumption and waste management between 2016 and 2040.

Under a 'business as usual' scenario, by 2040, the negative health impacts from plastics could double, with greenhouse gas emissions and associated rising global temperatures accounting for 40 per cent of the health harms.

Air pollution -- predominantly from plastics production processes -- would account for 32 per cent, and the impact of toxic chemicals released to the environment across plastics' life cycles would account for 27 per cent.

The remaining health harms (less than 1 per cent) relate to reduced availability of water, impacts on the ozone layer, and increased ionising radiation, the researchers said.

"We found that emissions throughout plastics lifecycles contributed to human health burdens of global warming, air pollution, toxicity-related cancers, and non-communicable diseases, with the greatest harms from primary plastics production and open burning," Megan Deeney, from the London School.

The model found that if the plastics system continues with no change to policy, economics, infrastructure, materials, or consumer behaviours, annual health impacts could more than double from 2.1 million healthy years of life lost in 2016 to 4.5 million healthy years of life lost in 2040.

Overall, the study estimates that the global plastics system could be responsible for cutting 83 million years of healthy population life between 2016 and 2040.

The study also predicted little impact from improving plastic waste collection and recycling alone. But, together with improvements to waste collection and recycling, substituting or reusing materials, health impacts linked to plastic emissions showed a reduction.

"To effectively reduce plastic emissions and their impact on health, policymakers must better regulate and significantly reduce the production of new plastics for non-essential uses," the team said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
The study says recycling alone won't help much. We need to stop producing so much plastic in the first place. As consumers, we have to change our habits. Say no to plastic bags and bottles. It starts with us.
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Arjun K
Respectfully, while the study is important, I feel it places too much emphasis on policy. In India, enforcement is the real issue. We have rules against single-use plastics, but are they followed? We need better implementation on the ground.
S
Sarah B
The health impact numbers are staggering. 83 million years of healthy life lost? This is a global crisis. Developed nations exporting their plastic waste to countries like India and others in Asia must be held accountable too.
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Karthik V
Our traditional practices were so much better - steel tiffins, cloth bags, clay pots. We need to go back to those sustainable ways. Plastic is convenient but at what cost? Our health and our planet's future.
M
Michael C
The part about "non-essential uses" is key. So much plastic packaging is completely unnecessary. Companies need to be forced to redesign products with minimal or biodegradable packaging. Consumer pressure can help drive this change.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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