Plastic and Health

Topic Description

Plastic pollution is increasingly recognized as a public-health as well as an environmental concern. Potential health risks occur throughout the plastic lifecycle—from production and use to recycling and disposal—and include exposure to hazardous chemicals as well as microplastics and nanoplastics. At the same time, plastics play essential roles in health care, including medical devices, protective equipment and sterile packaging. WHO therefore emphasizes both protecting health from risks associated with plastics and maintaining access to safe, effective and affordable health products. These issues also intersect with international negotiations
addressing plastic pollution.