One of the most revolutionary material found in recent times, popular for its versatility and durability is none other than plastic. At present, this very material used widely in many industries including packaging, consumer goods, construction and healthcare, has become one of the most pressing environmental and health challenges of the 21st century.
Mass production of this material began in the 1950s, leading to today’s 460 million tonnes of plastic produced globally each year. This figure is projected to nearly triple by 2060 if current trends continue and a cumulative cost of US$ 281 trillion is estimated as damage from plastic pollution from 2016 to 2040.
The COVID-19 pandemic fueled this crisis with the production and consumption of plastic masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment skyrocketing while the management and reduction of plastic waste was not being addressed.
Single-use plastics items designed to be discarded after just one use which now account for over one-third of all plastic produced contributes largely to this explosive growth. Reports show that only 9 to 10 per cent of plastic waste is recycled globally despite the awareness created, while the rest ends up in landfills, incinerators or as pollution in oceans, rivers and even the air we breathe. It is reported that 11 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into the ocean annually and by 2050, experts point out that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean unless we take urgent and collective action.
Plastic is omnipresent in daily life which is now unavoidable. It has also turned into a long-term planetary burden posing a threat both to human health and the environment.
Health impacts
Plastic production and pollution poses a frightening threat to human life. Plastics release harmful pollutants into the air, contributing to respiratory diseases and broader public health risks, at every stage of its lifecycle.
Over 16,000 chemicals are used in plastic production, many of which are toxic, persistent and capable of affecting the body’s hormonal system. Additives including BPA, PBDE and DEHP have been linked to a range of serious health conditions, including reproductive disorders, neurodevelopmental delays and certain types of cancers.
According to research, human bloodstreams, placentas, breast milk, semen, and even bone marrow contain the microscopic plastic particles known as microplastics and nano plastics that pollute our food, water, and air. There is evidence linking this to miscarriages, birth deformities, delayed lung development, and childhood malignancies, primarily putting pregnant women, fetuses and newborns at risk. Recent research has also revealed a link between microplastic exposure and heart disease, strokes, and inflammation, underscoring the pressing need to address plastic pollution as a worldwide health emergency as well as an environmental problem.
Environmental impacts
Global Risks Report 2025 issued by The World Economic Forum ranks pollution among the ten risks with the most severe expected impact over the next decade. Plastic pollution takes its lead. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that, in 2025, there will be over 1 billion tonnes of plastic waste in the world, rising to 1.7 billion by 2060.
These plastic pollution that mainly comes from single-use products, ranging from bottles and caps to shopping bags, drinking cups and straws, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Littering, industrial activities, construction and agriculture are the main sources of land-based pollution, often spread by urban and stormwater runoff. Land runoff is the biggest source of marine plastics pollution with microplastics, which are particles manufactured to a small size or the result of larger plastic objects degrading. Some estimates suggest that more than 90 per cent of plastics in the oceans are microplastics.
Plastic pollution is a major contributor to the loss of biodiversity and degradation of the ecosystem, impacting climate change. Plastics production, use and waste management account for around 4 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions globally.
Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP)
Founded by partners across the public and private sectors and officially launched in September 2018 during the World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Summit, the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) was established to harness the convening power of the World Economic Forum to bring together governments, businesses and civil society to translate commitments into meaningful action against plastic pollution at both global and national levels.
The growing GPAP community enables collaboration with more than 900 organizations, including the Governments of the UK and Canada, multinationals such as PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company and Nestlé, and international organizations and non-profits like the World Bank Group, UNEP, WWF, GEF and World Resources Institute. They work closely with GPAP helping out with their resources to reach more people, drive impact faster and support the efforts to help countries overcome the plastic waste challenge.
In March 2022, at the resumed fifth session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), a historic resolution was adopted to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. The treaty is to take a comprehensive, full life-cycle approach, addressing plastic from design and production to disposal and waste management.
The final negotiation round (INC-5.2) is currently being held in Geneva, Switzerland and will continue till 14th August with the participation of over 170 countries to negotiate a legally binding global plastics treaty. At INC 5.2 it is aimed to resolve issues of plastic pollution and finalize the treaty based on the current ‘Chair’s Text’ of the treaty. Finance will also be a focus, with discussions on a robust framework and means to implement the future treaty.
Why is the global plastics treaty important?
As the cumulative cost of the damage inflicted by plastic pollutants runs to an estimated $281 trillion for the period between 2016 and 2040, it is important to establish circular economies through reuse and recycling. Another focus of the treaty will be reducing plastics’ environmental impact and designing alternatives for products and packaging.
Regulations and targets should be inclusive, as many nations lack the infrastructure to process plastic waste, as the IUCN has pointed out. Transboundary production and consumption patterns often result in plastics ending up in areas with inadequate infrastructure for processing.
Way forward
With these shocking findings, it is clear that plastic pollution is not just a matter of environmental concern, but also a profound and growing public health concern. The evidence linking plastics to chronic illness, developmental harm and even early mortality underscores the need for coordinated global action. As the world grapples with the mounting costs of plastic crisis on both human life and economy, the time for meaningful change is needed today for a better tomorrow.
