Press Statement, For Immediate Release. February 19, 2019 at 6AM ET, Washington, DC – A new report from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines the health impacts associated with plastic pollution crisis. That’s at every stage of their supply chain and lifecycle. More importantly and it concludes that there is an immediate need to adopt a precautionary approach. One to protect humanity from the plastic pollution crisis.
Key findings from the report include that:
- Plastics pose distinct risks to human health at every stage of their lifecycle. All as a result arising from harmful chemicals released during raw material extraction and manufacturing. In addition and especially due to exposure of chemical additives during use. More noteworthy, the pollution of the environment and our food that can result as plastics enter the waste stream.
- Most noteworthy are Microplastic particles. These are like fragments and fibers. They can enter the body through contact, ingestion, or inhalation. Also they may be contributing to a wide range of health impacts. All as a result of their small size and ability to penetrate tissues and cells. Most interestingly, all as a consequence of the complex burdens of the chemicals they can carry.
- Uncertainties and knowledge gaps, including an extreme lack of transparency, undermine the full assessment of health impacts, and prevent consumers, communities, and regulators from making informed decisions.
