Reacción a "Plastic pollution is an underrecognized threat to health, according to The Lancet."

The press release accurately reflects the study’s findings—a clear and concise report prepared by a group of renowned experts on the still little-known but increasingly evident effects of plastics on human health. These effects are worsening due to the rapid growth in plastic production, which is projected to triple between 2019 and 2060. However, the article emphasizes that the continued worsening of plastic-related harms is not inevitable and can be mitigated through evidence-based laws and policies, with transparent monitoring, effective implementation, and adequate funding. In this regard, the Global Plastics Treaty represents a unique opportunity to address the plastic crisis in a binding manner.

Moreover, the article calls for greater attention to the human health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics, as well as the many chemical compounds added to plastics, when addressing plastic pollution. The experts acknowledge that although many uncertainties remain about the damage plastics cause to human health and the global environment—and further research is undoubtedly needed—there is already sufficient data to state that these harms are significant. There is also enough information about plastic production trends to anticipate that, in the absence of intervention, the situation will worsen.

In this context, the upcoming launch of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics aims to monitor and report regularly on the impacts of plastics on human health and the environment throughout their entire life cycle, providing scientific data to guide evidence-based public policymaking as the Global Plastics Treaty comes into effect.