March 31, 2021

Andrew Campbell 

A new collection of evidence-based commentaries, "Confronting Plastic Pollution to Protect Environmental and Public Health" published March 30 in the journal of Public Library of Science PLOS Biology, investigates critical challenges to world scientists and policymakers taking efforts in dealing with the potential environmental and health sabotages from micro plastics. The publication revealed an increasing obligation to develop robust methods to detect, evaluate, and mitigate the impacts of the alarming plastic contaminant mostly detected in human placentas.

PLOS Biology senior editor Lisa Gross and former US Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics at Bennington College in Vermont, jointly executed in collecting 3 evidence-based commentaries featured from world-leading ecotoxicology and environmental health experts. The commentaries emphasize 3 areas: the difficulty of developing health-protective policies for emerging plastic contaminants, the migration of toxic and undisclosed plastic additives into food, and identifying micro plastics from carbon cycling in soils. Addressing the environmental and health impacts of micro plastics, the authors urged open collaboration among diverse sectors.

In addition, an online event of the virtual launch of "NEGLECTED: Environmental Justice Impacts of Plastic Pollution" was published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) associated with Azul, an environmental justice organization working with grassroots communities to protect coasts and the ocean. The report indicated plastic pollution crippled the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the entire lifecycle of plastics from source extraction to waste has been disproportionately threatening our marginalized communities.  The plastic pollution crisis was reportedly worsening each year. As plastic production had increased from 2 million metric tons a year in 1950 to 380 million metric tons by 2015, plastic wastes were estimated at 15 million metric tons a year polluting our oceans. The plastic pollution crisis was reportedly worsening each year. As plastic production had increased from 2 million metric tons a year in 1950 to 380 million metric tons by 2015, plastic wastes were estimated at 15 million metric tons a year polluting our oceans. Thus, the UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen urged to empower local communities hurt by plastic waste and advocated for proper decision-making themselves for environmental justice.

Photo:webshot.