“These little particles are already seeping everywhere, and even into our organs.”

In question the PET bottles but also our synthetic clothes or the contact lenses… This omnipresence of plastic in our environment represents a danger for our health. This can have consequences for the immune system and the respiratory system, and can cause endocrine disruption, reduced fertility and an increased risk of cancer.

Why?

The most toxic plastics are those found in food products because the toxic constituents of the plastic end up mixing with the food. For example, bisphenol A, very present in our lives because it is part of the composition of the plastic that lines the inside of certain cans and cans, but also in that of receipts and banknotes, has been classified since 2017 by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) among “Substances of very high concern” as endocrine disruptor.

Many plasticizers and chemical additives are used in the manufacture of plastic to give it certain characteristics such as color or transparency, flexibility or rigidity, impermeability to light or to oxygen, flame retardants, etc. It is these additives that make plastics toxic.

Finally, the degradation, recycling or elimination stage is also at risk. Plastic waste can be degraded by incineration, recycling or landfill. When processed in an incineration plant, many toxic substances are released into the surrounding environment.

→ Read also why plastic is dangerous for the environment and dangerous for wildlife.

The most effective and inexpensive way to combat these dangers is to reduce production and limit the use of plastic items.

Some numbers

7 %
Average share of additives in the composition of plastics

81%
Percentage of tap water samples containing plastic micro-particles worldwide. This percentage reaches 93% for water samples in plastic bottles. (Orb Media)

9 %
Percentage of end-of-life plastics recycled in 2015 worldwide; 12% were incinerated while 79% were found in landfills or in nature where they constitute an even more important source of pollution for water, soil and air. (SKY)

Sources

Santé : les humains ingèrent plus de 50 000 particules de plastique par an (Le Temps, 6 juin 2019)

Santé : L’homme ingère jusqu’à 5 grammes de plastique par semaine (Arc Info, 12.06.2019)

Étude Anses sur les bisphénols

Orb Media
Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet (CIEL – February 2019)