Global health damage from plastic pollution is more than one trillion dollars
(MENAFN) Plastic pollution is responsible for more than $1.5 trillion in health-related economic losses each year and is linked to illness and death across all stages of life, according to a newly released review in a leading medical journal.
“The world is in a plastics crisis,” the researchers stated. “But it is not inevitable.” They recommend a range of science-backed policy measures — such as stronger regulations, active enforcement, and financial incentives — similar to strategies previously used to reduce the dangers of lead and air pollution.
This research is being highlighted as international discussions resume in Geneva this week aimed at drafting a global treaty to reduce plastic waste.
The study characterizes plastics as a “grave and growing” risk to both human health and the environment, noting that the scale of production continues to rise. Since 1950, annual plastic production has ballooned from 2 million metric tons to 475 million tons by 2022, with projections reaching 1.2 billion tons by 2060.
So far, around 8 billion tons of plastic waste have accumulated worldwide, most of it persisting in ecosystems due to its resistance to natural breakdown. Recycling efforts remain minimal, with under 10% of plastic being repurposed.
The release of the review coincides with the second phase of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2), which runs from August 5 to 14. Representatives from over 170 nations are gathering in Geneva to push forward a binding global agreement aimed at controlling plastic pollution.
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