The Urgent Need for a Global Plastics Treaty: Scientist Urges Action on Health and Environmental Impacts

As world leaders come together to negotiate a global plastics treaty, Dr. Pete Myers, the chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, is emphasizing the urgent need to address the devastating impact of plastic pollution on our health and the environment. In a recent article for Reuters, Myers highlights the pervasive nature of plastic contamination, which is causing health problems such as obesity and reduced fertility due to harmful chemicals leaching into our bodies. He also underscores the staggering economic costs of plastic pollution, estimated at $250 billion annually in the U.S., with far-reaching implications for public health and safety.

The discussions around an international treaty on plastics focus on phasing out hazardous and unnecessary plastics as a crucial step towards addressing the crisis. Myers stresses the importance of identifying and eliminating any plastic products that are wasteful, unsafe, and untested, in order to mitigate the harmful effects of plastic pollution on both people and the planet.

Plastics have infiltrated every aspect of our lives, releasing toxic chemicals that pose serious health risks, including cancer, diabetes, and reproductive issues. As plastics break down into microplastics, they contaminate water sources and ecosystems, impacting wildlife and disrupting the environmental balance. A global plastics treaty has the potential to establish enforceable standards for reducing the use of hazardous plastics, promoting alternatives, and reducing the toxic burden on our health and the environment.

Although Dr. Myers is a founding member of the Plastic Health Council and