How Single Use Plastics Are Harming Your Health: 10 Shocking Facts

While there are very well-known environmental risks associated with plastics, the way plastics affect people's health is less well-known. Individuals and communities are at risk from hidden dangers when using single-use plastics, such as straws, packaging, and utensils. Here are ways these items are risks to human health, along with specific examples and some things to consider.

1.       Chemical Leaching into Food and Beverages

Plastics have the ability to leach chemicals, like BPA and phthalates, into food and drink, especially when heated and/or when contacting food that is acidic. These chemicals are endocrine disruptors and are associated with reproductive issues, cancers, and developmental issues during pregnancy and in children.

Example: A 2016 study found that women who had higher concentrations of BPA in their urine were less likely to lose a pregnancy. Reusable plastics can even increase the chemical leaching of these harmful chemicals into food and drink when heated.

2. Air Pollution from Incineration

Toxic chemicals are released into the air when plastic is burned. These chemicals include dioxins, furans, and metals. That can have a negative impact on the respiratory system and the cardiovascular system. When communities are unable to properly dispose of their waste, the compounds created from burning plastic can create public health challenges over time.

Example:  In many developing countries, individuals burn plastic waste due to a lack of waste infrastructure. The long-term exposure to dioxins can suppress the immune system, cause lung problems, and increase the risk of cancer (World Health Organization).

3. Microplastics in the Food Chain

Plastic waste will eventually break down into microplastics, which become part of our food system. These microplastics are ingested by marine animals or may be found in our salt or other common food items. This consumption raises potential health concerns.

Example: Researchers at UC Davis found microplastics in fish and shellfish. A worldwide study found that over 90% of the salt brands tested had microplastic content. The discovery leads consumers to consider what impact microplastics have on the human body when ingested and biochemically digested.

4. Contamination of Drinking Water

Microplastics exist in more than just food—they're present in bottled and tap water, as well as rainwater. Their presence in drinking water should raise an alarm about the mean long-term ingestion and potential effects on human organs and health systems.

Example: A recent study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology indicated that Microplastic fibers were found in 83% of the tap water sampled around the world. This includes major cities like Paris, which further raised fears among citizens who have subsequently had their water sampled to check for the particles.

5. Increased Waste and Public Health Concerns

Improperly thrown away plastic can also create areas where pests are able to flourish—reducing rats, mosquitoes, and other disease vectors' access to food, water, or hiding areas—as improperly thrown away garbage litter can reduce this access. This is an issue, particularly in areas where solid waste management is poor, as outbreaks of dangerous vector-borne diseases can happen.

Example: In the urban slums of Brazil and India, plastic waste has collected between buildings and clogged drains, creating breeding sites for mosquitoes. This has led to sharp rises in Dengue fever and Zika virus, particularly during the rainy season when water collected from runoff also stagnates.

6. Allergies and Sensitivities

Some chemicals used in plastic products can cause allergies, asthma, or skin diseases. Phthalates, along with other additives, are regularly paired with plastic packaging and cosmetics, where individuals sensitive to these chemicals may experience allergic reactions upon long-term exposure.

Example: A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that exposure to phthalates had a direct relationship with increased asthma symptoms among children. Contact with object-fragrance items (like scented plastic) can also create rashes and exacerbate eczema-like symptoms.

7. Mental Health Implications

The judgment of something seen may have direct impacts on mental well-being. This effect can be seen especially for people who are concerned about the future of the planet. Continuous interaction with pollution and waste in one's immediate environment has led to these areas developing factors consistently related to eco-anxiety, depression, and learned helplessness in impacted communities.

Example: Area surveys shared that individuals in areas with garbage pollution saw higher stress and anxiety. Individuals who face environmental harms directly in their personal life (e.g., being exposed to beaches overwhelmed with plastic) are likely to face mental fatigue and emotional distress about the surrounding environmental destruction.

8. Economic Burden on Healthcare Systems

Health issues from plastic's effects—like respiratory illness or endocrine-related disorders—significantly increase costs to public healthcare systems. Treating preventable disease places an additional burden on governments, particularly in polluted jurisdictions.

Example: While the World Health Organization doesn't attribute deaths caused by air pollution solely to the burning of plastics, it estimates that it contributes to millions of premature deaths per year. A study in the U.S. determined that improvement in air quality (not exclusively linked to eliminating burning of plastics) could eliminate $150 billion in healthcare costs due to pollution-related impacts.

9. Impact on Vulnerable Populations

The burdens of plastic pollution are often felt most by low-income communities or children. These groups often live near waste disposal sites, do not have extensive access to fresh food or clean water, and use highly packaged plastic products, increasing exposure to plastic chemicals.

Example: The American Academy of Pediatrics suggested that children with BPA levels in the higher percentiles often present with developmental delays. Generally, lower-income families have a tendency towards increased packaged food consumption, raising their overall plastic exposure to toxic chemicals.

10. Loss of Biodiversity and Its Health Implications

Ecosystem breakdown and the events that follow affect biodiversity and food security, in the systems part of the ecological/economic health framework. Specifically, the breakdown of pollinators and natural balance can impact the nutrients of food and the supply of food, affecting disease in human populations.

Example: Nature published a study finding that plastic pollution is threatening bees and other pollinators. Bee and pollinator decline is associated with the availability of crops, which is associated with food supply and ultimately food shortages and malnutrition. This will be hard hit in populations that are already stressed due to climate change, such as the African population.

The touchpoints between health and single-use plastics go much further than just the environment. Toxic and chemical exposure, disease proliferation, and mental health are examples of a burgeoning public health crisis associated with plastic pollution. Plastic use reduction, efficacy of plastic and plastic waste management, and promotion of safer substitution and alternatives are a viable pathway towards a healthier and more sustainable future.

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