Report Unveils Over 16,000 Chemicals in Plastics, Highlighting Health and Environmental Risks

A groundbreaking report by European scientists, funded by the Norwegian Research Council, reveals that plastics contain over 16,000 chemicals, far surpassing previous estimates by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which identified around 13,000. With a quarter of these chemicals deemed hazardous, the findings come at a crucial time as global negotiators work towards the first-ever treaty to combat plastic pollution. The report stresses the importance of addressing the entire lifecycle of plastics, including the chemicals they contain, to fully tackle plastic pollution. As discussions continue, the call for greater transparency and regulation of chemicals in plastics, including those in recycled products, becomes increasingly urgent to protect human health and the environment.