Nations are in the process of negotiating a global agreement aimed at ending plastic pollution and improving the safety and sustainability of plastics. A key concern in these talks is the presence of chemicals in plastics—ranging from food wrappers to car tires—that can seep into food, household environments, and ecosystems.
Many of these plastic-related chemicals are known to pose risks to human health and the environment. Yet, the lack of a comprehensive inventory has made it difficult to fully assess and mitigate these dangers.
New Nature Study Maps Thousands of Plastic Chemicals and Proposes Framework for Safer, Sustainable Plastics
A new study published in Nature offers a detailed and systematic overview of all known chemicals found in plastics—their characteristics, applications, and potential hazards. It includes both intentionally added substances and contaminants found in plastic products. Notably, the study introduces a scientific framework for identifying chemicals of concern, supporting the development of safer plastics and helping guide policy toward a non-toxic, circular economy.
The researchers found that plastics contain more chemicals than previously recognized—listing 16,325 substances in the newly launched PlastChem database. Of these, at least 4,200 are flagged as chemicals of concern due to their harmful effects on health and the environment. These hazardous substances appear across all major plastic types, including those used in food packaging, and all tested plastics were found capable of releasing harmful chemicals.
Plastics Contain Harmful Chemicals, Prompting Calls for Safer Alternatives
“Plastics should be free of dangerous chemicals from the start,” said lead author Martin Wagner, a professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. “Yet research clearly shows they are either intentionally added or unintentionally present in nearly all plastics, highlighting the urgent need to make them safer.”
The study identifies three key strategies for making plastics safer and more sustainable: using safer chemicals, increasing transparency, and simplifying plastic compositions.
It recommends eliminating known hazardous chemicals from plastic products, whether through regulatory action or voluntary steps by manufacturers. Greater transparency is also essential, as companies currently don’t disclose which chemicals are used in specific plastic items. Additionally, plastics should be redesigned to include fewer, well-studied chemicals—especially in products intended for reuse or recycling.
“There’s growing momentum to improve the safety of plastics,” said Dr. Laura Monclús, lead author and researcher at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) in Trondheim. “Our findings offer the scientific foundation needed to drive that change and better protect both human health and the environment from harmful plastic-related chemicals.”
Read the original article on: Phys org
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