Plastics and Human Health Summary Report

Plastics have conveyed great benefits to humanity, made our lives more convenient, and supported some of modern civilization’s most significant advances. It is now clear, however, that plastics are neither safe nor cheap. Current patterns of plastic production, use and disposal are wasteful, inefficient and far from circular.

They are responsible for significant harms to human health, the economy, and the earth’s environment. These harms extend far beyond beach litter and microplastics. Many are invisible. Until now, the extent of these harms has not been systematically assessed, their magnitude not quantified, and their economic costs not counted.

The goal of the Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health is to comprehensively examine and make visible the full range of plastics’ harms to human health and the earth’s environment across the entire plastic life cycle.