As world leaders come together to negotiate a global plastics treaty, environmental scientists are emphasizing the urgent need to address the devastating impact of plastic pollution on our health and the environment. Pete Myers, the chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, is particularly concerned about the pervasive nature of plastic contamination and its far-reaching consequences. In a recent article for Reuters, Myers highlights the serious health problems caused by harmful chemicals leaching into our bodies from plastics, including obesity, reduced fertility, and cancer.
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 to humans and animals alike. As plastics break down into microplastics, they contaminate water sources and ecosystems, disrupting wildlife behavior and endangering entire species. A global plastics treaty has the potential to establish enforceable standards for reducing the use of hazardous plastics, promoting alternatives to single-use products like straws and bags, and reducing the toxic burden on our health and environment.
Although Dr. Myers is a founding member of the Plastic Health Council and the chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, Environmental Health News remains editorially independent. Together with other experts in the field