Problem
Health hazards of plastics
Other Names:
Disease-causing plasticsPlastic poisons
Nature:
Ordinary polyethylene (polythene) plastic bags and containers are increasingly linked to a range of diseases ranging from stomach ailments to leukaemia. Their prolonged use is claimed to jeopardize the functioning of the kidney and brain.
Incidence:
A 2020 study by Australia’s University of Newcastle found that person could be ingesting five grams of plastic a week, the equivalent of eating a credit card. The largest source was drinking water, with the average person consuming 1,769 particles of plastic every week from water alone. Another major source was shellfish, which tended to be eaten whole so the plastic in their animal's digestive system was consumed too.
In the United States, 94.4% of tap water samples contained plastic fibres, with an average of 9.6 fibres per litre. European water was less polluted, with fibres showing up in only 72.2% of water samples, and only 3.8 fibres per litre.
Broader Problems:
Organic hydrocarbons as pollutantsHealth hazards from food and drinkLong-term hazards of exposure to chemicalsPlastic pollutionMicroplastics Narrower Problems:
Polychlorinated biphenyls as a health hazardVinyl chloride exposurePVC as an environmental hazardBisphenol A poisoning Related Problems:
Environmental hazards from plastic materialsToxic industrial chemicals Aggravates:
Kidney disordersGastric disordersLymphatic leukaemiaFood-borne diseasesDiseases and injuries of the brain Subject(s):
Health Care → HealthIndustry → Plastics
Medicine → Pathology
Societal Problems → Hazards
Societal Problems → Poison
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
E: Emanations of other problems Date of last update
28.07.2021 – 06:46 CEST