16,000 Plastic Chemicals Identified, Found in Different Items; at Least 4,200 Could Pose Risks to Human Health

Scientists have identified up to 16,000 plastic chemicals in different common plastic products, with at least 4,200 posing a risk to human health.

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16,000 Plastic Chemicals Identified

Such findings were documented in the "State of the science on plastic chemicals - Identifying and addressing chemicals and polymers of concern" study. The resource catalogs the 16,000 different chemicals that have been in production. This great number is more than what has ever been described in the past.

Many of the plastic chemicals can be found in common objects, such as water bottles, blood bags, and the mouthing toys of children.

Martin Wagner, the study's lead author and an environmental toxicologist from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, explains that global governments want to address the plastic issue. However, this can only be done if problematic chemicals are appropriately addressed. The report offers crucial data on how plastics are safer for humans and the environment.

The report and database cover at least 3,000 more chemicals than a previous report identified. One of the report's most striking results is the data gap on over a quarter of the circulating plastic substances.

Such chemicals do not have sufficient information about their nature. Over half have missing or ambiguous information regarding their applications and functions. Not to mention, only a few of the chemicals are regulated.

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4,200 Potentially Hazardous; 980 Regulated

Only 980 of the 16,000 plastic chemicals are regulated, while 4,200 are potentially hazardous. This means that over 3,200 hazardous plastic chemicals are currently unregulated.

When it came to hazard classification, PlastChem used four criteria: toxicity, bioaccumulation, mobility, and persistence. Toxicity refers to how the chemical could harm animals, plants, and people. Bioaccumulation refers to how the chemicals could accumulate in living things as time passes, while mobility refers to their capacity to spread. Lastly, persistence refers to its inability to degrade or break down within the environment.

Though 4,200 out of the 16,000 plastic chemicals have been deemed hazardous, the researchers note that there could still be other chemicals that should be granted such classification. The challenge comes with the insufficiency of data regarding these chemicals.

Jane Muncke, a co-author of the study and the managing director of the nonprofit Food Packaging Forum, explains that they are finding hundreds or thousands of plastic chemicals, some of which have been associated with several health issues.

The report lists 15 highest-priority chemicals, including "forever chemicals" PFAS, which has been linked to low infant birth weight and thyroid cancer.

Another hazardous chemical class that the researchers identified was phthalates, which copy the body's hormones and reduce testosterone levels.

Bisphenols were also identified. These are known to mimic estrogen and disrupt the endocrine system of the body.