Why Plastic Contains Thousands of Chemicals and the Associated Risks
Plastics contain over 16,000 chemicals, including thousands of additives used to alter properties like flexibility, color, and flame resistance. Many of these substances are harmful or insufficiently studied, leaking into environments and bodies worldwide. Current regulations are outdated and inadequate, often allowing harmful chemicals in products, prompting experts to call for stricter controls and transparency from manufacturers.
The article highlights the complex chemical composition of plastics, with over 16,000 different chemicals identified, more than 4,000 known to be harmful and many thousands unstudied. Pure plastic polymers, derived mainly from oil, are not very useful alone and require additives to confer specific properties such as flexibility, durability, color, heat resistance, and flame retardancy. Manufacturers use thousands of patented mixtures, often secret, to achieve these properties, with some plastics containing up to 10,000 substances. Many additives do not bind tightly to plastics and can leach into the environment and human bodies, with widespread detection of chemicals like phthalates and BPA in almost all people tested. These chemicals are linked to health risks including hormonal disruption, cancer, obesity, and infertility. Regulatory systems to control these substances are outdated and fragmented, allowing harmful chemicals in food packaging and other products despite bans in cosmetics and other areas. Experts argue for improved legislation, greater transparency in ingredient disclosure, and development of safer alternatives. The article stresses that while plastics are essential in modern life, especially in medicine and technology, unnecessary use and poor regulation create substantial environmental and health challenges. Efforts to address plastic pollution globally have faced obstacles, underscoring the need for systemic changes involving consumers, industry, and governments.
