What are the effects of plastic health? »Yale Climate Connection

I transferred from one patient to another and took reusable water bottles from one room to another to keep me hydrated.

“You shouldn’t drink from that pregnant plastic bottle,” a social worker, grandmother of five grandchildren. “

I calmed down with a smile:
“I’ve checked it: it doesn’t contain BPA.”

This was my first pregnancy 13 years ago. At the time, as for plastics and health, all I know is that it should avoid hormone disruptor BPA (BPA). This is basically everything.

I think plastics are a pollution problem, not a health risk.

But in recent decades, researchers have not only discovered the extent of our exposure to plastic, but also the shocking depth of the damage they can cause. These damages come not only from the huge explosion of tiny micro pressures in our environment, but also from chemical and pollutant additives transported by plastics.

Why do plastics focus on plastics now?

Plastic production has grown 230 times since the 1950s and is expected to triple it by 2060. Since 2002, more than half of the entire plastic produced historically has been produced.

Much of this growth is driven by fossil fuel companies.

“They deliberately redirected their investments from gasoline production to plastics and petrochemicals production,” explained Philip Landrigan, a pediatrician and director of the Global Public Health Program.

The plastic boom shows that between 2015 and 2030, CO2 emissions will increase by 34%. This also means that the planet has no corners without plastic pollution.

From the peaks of Mount Everest to the depths of Mariana pit, microscopic particles of plastic are found in every corner of the environment. The human body is no exception. Scientists detect plastic particles in almost every part of the human body: in the lungs, liver, kidneys, blood, breast milk, placenta, colon, spleen, brain, and even in reproductive organs such as testicles and ovaries.

Emerging evidence from the range from inflammation to oxidative stress suggests that plastic exposure may be a growing wave of feeding chronic diseases.

What is plastic?

All plastics have two main components:

The first is a polymer: a long spaghetti chain consisting of repeated carbon molecules. More than 98% of the carbon base comes from the oil, gas and coal produced – the same fossil fuel heats the planet when we burn.

The second ingredient is a mixture of added chemicals that are added to give the plastic different properties such as flexibility, stability or color. More than 16,000 types of chemical additives are used to design a wide variety of plastic products. These additives can filter the environment over time. Some of these chemicals are toxic and most are strictly regulated.

“The toxicity is evaluated less than 20 percent,” Landrigan said.

Plastics in numbers are generated:

• Since 1950, 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been found.
• More than half of all plastics in history were made after 2002.
• It is estimated that by 2060, plastic use will almost triple to 1,231 megastars (Megatonelada = 1 million tons).
• Plastics alone account for 35% to 40% of current production and are growing rapidly.
• Compared to glass (~75%), paper (~70%) and aluminum (about 65%), the global plastic recycling rate is only 9% (in the United States, only between 5% and 6%).

Furt: Mindero-Monaco Plastics and Human Health Commission

The combination between the increase in single use of plastic and the recovery rate of pain means that most of the plastics produced are designed primarily to contaminate the planet and our bodies.

How microplastics and chemical additives enter our bodies

We ate. We drink them. We inhale.

Even the fetus can be exposed through blood that passes through the placenta.

That's because plastic has a disconnection problem.

Every time we use, heat, wash or manipulate plastic, tiny particles and chemicals are released in the air, food and water around us.

Over time, small pieces of plastic can contaminate our environment – play, bottles, bags, food packaging, polyester clothes – get out of ourselves. These fragments continue to break down into smaller and smaller particles. When the plastic is heated – whether in the microwave or in the dishwasher, more particles are released.

Microplastics are fragments of plastic less than five millimeters in length – the size of pencil erased – while nanoplastics are even smaller: they are even smaller: they measure less than one MICRA and are invisible to the human eye.

These particles are everywhere: internal air, household dust, bottled water, tap water, meat, salt, fruits, vegetables, seafood, breast milk, and even baby formula.

The chemical additives used in plastics will also penetrate into our food and beverages, across our skin, and get rid of microplastics when they degrade. The most famous of these toxic additives are:

• Bisfenol A (BPA), added to make the hardest plastic add;
• Phthalate, used to make it more flexible;
• PFA (perfluorinated and polyfluorinated substances), known as “permanent chemicals” because of their persistence in the environment and are added to make the plastic resist heat, oils and spots.

What is the role of microplastics in the human body?

Once microplastics and nanoplastics enter our bodies, they are not fully understood. It depends largely on the size, shape and chemical composition of the particles. For now, their long-term fate and their risks to human health are subject to active scientific research.

Plastic particles entering through the oral cavity usually cross the digestive system and are eliminated through feces. However, the smallest can accumulate on the intestinal wall and can even migrate into the blood. From there, these tiny particles can reach organs such as the liver, kidneys, or brain. Some of them end up being deported from the country by urine or bile, but others can accumulate in our organs.

When we inhale plastic fibers, the largest fragments are trapped in the upper airway, such as the nose or throat, and can be expelled when exhaled. But smaller particles can reach the deepest areas of the lungs, some of which can even cross toward the blood.

But the question remains: Will these plastic particles harm our health?

We started collecting data from various sources.

“Whether we find plastics – in cell crops, in vitro experiments, in animal studies – there is always a problem,” said Sanjay Rajagopalan, PhD, director of the Cardiovascular Institute at Case Western Reserve University. Studies have shown that these particles, along with the added or adhered toxic substances, can cause inflammation, cell death and tissue damage. In laboratory findings and animal models, transported microplastics and hazardous chemicals damage the intestinal and lung barriers, which interfere with hormone regulation and damage to germ cells such as sperm and ovule.

In a recent analysis of human and animal studies, the researchers reviewed evidence of health risks in three main systems of the body: digestive, reproductive, and respiratory systems. The strongest evidence links microplastics to reduced sperm quality and lower intestinal immunity. There is also moderate evidence of impaired female reproductive hormones, intestinal inflammation and worsening lung function. These findings also support a possible relationship with colon and lung cancer, although more research is needed.

Preventive principles and plastics

Given the growing evidence of damage, experts stress the importance of the principle of prevention: While more research must always be done to understand exactly how each body system is affected, there is enough information to recognize that plastic is dangerous to our health. This is especially true for pregnant women, babies and toddlers who are probably the most vulnerable. When hazardous substances occur in critical development windows, damage can have a lifetime impact.

Microplastics were found in placenta and meconium (the first evacuation after the baby was born), indicating that the plastic had reached the baby's circulation and digestive system before birth. Early in microplastic exposure and toxic additives such as BPA and phthalates can increase the long-term risks of obesity, autism, and ADHD, thereby changing the life courses of children and their families forever.

“Micro-research is at a very early stage, but I firmly believe in the principle of prevention,” said Elizabeth Ryznar. “Our exhibitions are growing exponentially. We don’t want to wait 30 years to determine the evidence – because it was too late and many people will be compromised.”

As plastic production continues to increase, environmental, climate and health hazards are becoming increasingly serious.

Although individuals can change their behavior to reduce personal risks and reduce demand for these dangerous products, individual decisions are not sufficient to face global health risks.

There is good news: More than 100 countries have imposed some type of ban on single-purpose plastics. Most of these measures are concentrated on plastic bags, but some countries also prohibit the use of products such as straw (popsicles) and cover them.

Landrigan also noted that there is more coordinated action around the world.

“There are more than 100 countries working to improve a global plastics treaty, including ones that limit plastics and transparency. This is the path we must follow.”

Some simple things you can apply at home:

• Avoid heating food in plastic containers in microwave ovens.
• Drink in glass bottles or stainless steel instead of plastic.
• Choose fresh or frozen food instead of processing and packaging.
• Choose personal care products without micropores, phthalates or parabens.
• Ask your political representative to take action.