‘FOR REASONS THAT DEFY ALL LOGIC AND RESPONSIBILITY, PLASTICS HAVE LARGELY ESCAPED REGULATORY SCRUTINY FOR OVER 100 YEARS’

Prof Dr Dick Vethaak

WHAT WE DO

2024 is a pivotal year in the plastic crisis with new EPR, plastic taxes and of course the 2024/25 UN Global Plastics Treaty.

Scientists have been ringing the alarm bell on plastic chemicals, micro/nano-plastics and the known impact on human health for decades. World leaders, via UNEP, say human health is an important focus for the Plastics Treaty. But to date protecting human health is not being given the urgent consideration it warrants. That is why some of the world’s top scientists, represented by the Plastic Health Council, have come together to codify the HEALTH SCIENTISTS’ GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY.

This alternative Treaty sets out a compelling set of legally binding clauses that scientists, with their combined hundreds of years of experience, want to see in the Final Treaty.  Together these clauses will help the world face up to the true cost of plastic on human health.

The Plastic Health Council scientists will be present at key global events - Brussels, Washington DC, London and each of the UN Plastics Treaty INC negotiating sessions - to ensure the final Treaty robustly protects the health of our people over the profits of the international plastics industry.

THE URGENCY

We cannot escape from exposure to plastic and its toxic chemicals. More than 16,000 chemicals are used to give plastic its extraordinary material qualities. Half of these have never been tested for human safety. Many are known endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), causing infertility, cancer, cognitive disorders and auto-immune diseases.

Thousands of peer-reviewed research reports have been published, and yet there is still no global regulation to stop this threat to humankind. Instead, plastic production is set to treble by 2040. For decades, we have published studies on this subject and nothing adequate is happening to stem the plastic tide, minimise the damage to the future of our children, and of the planet. Legislators and regulators must make the necessary and fundamental systemic changes to change the course we are on and combat the excesses of the plastics industry.

The scientists are clear. We have the evidence.

Now we need to act.

  • Ottawa, Canada

    In April 2024, the Plastic Health Council will continue the push for the Health Scientists’ Global Plastics Treaty at INC-4.

    Read more here.

  • Nairobi, Kenya

    The Plastic Health Council held a significant event at the 3 negotiation sessions for the UN Global Plastics Treaty, INC3 in Nairobi. Attended by delegates, lawyers, industry and NGOs, our event culminated in the launch of the Health Scientists’ Global Plastics Treaty, written by our health scientists. This alternative treaty calls for a mandate on proper testing of all chemicals in plastic, reducing the production volumes of plastics and the phase-out of unnecessary single-use plastics.

    The Health Scientists’ Global Plastics Treaty can be downloaded here

    Over 20 eminent global scientists also signed a letter, published in The Telegraph, supporting the call for a robust Treaty that protects human health.

  • Paris, France

    The Plastic Health Council presented at the official side event at INC2, Paris; the second negotiation sessions for the UN Global Plastics Treaty. The White Paper was circulated and our scientists given the stage to explain the impact of micro/nano-plastics and the chemicals within plastic on human health.

    Read the White Paper here.

  • Brussels, Belgium

    The Plastic Health Council hosted the first Plastic Health Symposium in the EU Parliament, Brussels in February 2023, bringing industry, lawyers and MEPs together to hear directly from the scientists. The resulting White Paper can be downloaded here.

    The Plastic Health Council has created a European Parliament cross-party support group of MEPs, who are committed to improving policy and regulation on plastic and chemicals. The supporting letter signed by 25 chere.ross-party MEPs can be viewed here.

“PLASTIC HAS INFILTRATED EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES, AND ITS TOXIC LEGACY IS A TICKING TIME BOMB FOR OUR HEALTH.”

Dr Pete Myers