There is considerable scientific consensus that plastic is found in the human body. However, researchers have called some of these studies into question. When the media report on this kind of scientific disagreement, they often use dramatic headlines that imply that an entire field of research has been undermined. But is this really the way that science works? Microplastics are found in the air we breathe and the food and drink we consume; therefore, it is no surprise that so

Menstrual products are essential for health, hygiene, and wellbeing, enabling millions of people to manage menstruation safely and participate fully in daily life. However, while these products provide important benefits, many commonly used disposable options also have significant environmental impacts, particularly through plastic pollution. Disposable menstrual products such as sanitary pads, tampons, and their applicators are often made from a combination of cotton, wood p

Plastic is often seen as a miracle material. It certainly has useful properties: it’s durable, versatile and cheap. But what exactly is plastic? Plastics are moldable materials made up of polymers – long chains made from repeating molecules. Almost all plastics are derived from fossil fuels such as crude oil and natural gas. These contain a mixture of hydrocarbons which are processed in various stages to make plastic: Refining - Fossil fuels are extracted and refined into pro

Perhaps you’re thinking oh - plastics aren’t my problem. Turtles getting trapped is sad, but I’m safe. You’d be wrong. The idea that plastic pollution only affects wildlife is a dangerous misconception. In reality, humans are part of the marine food web, and we’re already consuming the consequences of plastic waste. Microplastics - particles smaller than 5mm - are now found in 99% of seafood. Shrimp, mussels, fish and even sea salt have tested positive for plastic contamina

The consequences of ocean plastic for marine life are devastating - and often invisible. While viral images of whales dying with bellies full of bags grab public attention, the broader damage runs much deeper. Over 100,000 marine mammals die each year due to plastic entanglement or ingestion (WWF 2021). At least 340 species have been recorded entangled in debris, especially fishing gear like nets and ropes. Once trapped, animals can suffocate, drown or suffer debilitating in

Plastic doesn’t get into the sea on its own. It travels there usually via leakage from poorly managed waste systems. Understanding this journey is key to shoring up these systems. Around 19 million tonnes of plastics leak into the environment on a yearly basis. Of this, around 14 million tonnes enters rivers, coasts and other water systems. An estimated 11 million tonnes then reach the ocean, which equates to around 0.5% of all global plastic waste. How does this happen? In m

The global trade in plastic waste reveals stark inequalities. For decades, high-income countries like the UK, US, Germany and Japan exported much of their plastic waste to lower-income nationals, often with weak waste infrastructures (OECD 2022, Plastics Treaty Briefing 2023). This practice, often referred to as “waste colonialism,” offloads the environmental burden of consumption onto those least able to manage it. As recently as 2018, Asia imported 70-80% of the world’s tr

The idea that plastic will outweigh fish in the ocean by 2050 has become one of the most widely-quoted statistics in environmental discussions. But this disguises the real nature of the problem. Fish make up around 29% of animal biomass on this planet (Ritchie 2024) but calculating their mass in oceans is very difficult. We can estimate algae concentrations from satellite imagery - a proxy for fish food - but actual marine biomass remains uncertain and rather variable. Est

Ocean plastic is often misunderstood - and misrepresented. Media images of massive garbage patches floating in the Pacific suggest the ocean is blanketed in rubbish. The reality is more complicated - and arguably more concerning. Of the 460 million tonnes of plastic produced annually around the globe (OECD 2022), 353 million tonnes go to waste and only about 9% is recycled in any meaningful way. Approximately 82 millions tonnes of this waste (of the 9%) is mismanaged - eith

Over the past decades, ocean plastic pollution has become one of the most urgent global environmental challenges. Plastics continue to enter marine environments through a variety of pathways, accumulate and persist for long time periods in many different forms, from large items to microscopic fragments that are integrated into ecosystems and food chains. Most of the plastic entering the ocean originates on land. Mismanaged waste, especially single-use plastics such as packagi

It is estimated that 11 million tonnes of plastic debris enter the oceans each year. Every year, the world produces over 400 million tonnes of plastic, and with recycling rates remaining below 10% globally, the volume entering our oceans continues to grow. Poor waste management and littering cause plastic to enter rivers and waterways, eventually pouring into the ocean. Discarded fishing gear is another major contributor. Once in the ocean, plastic is easily swept away by oc

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will reach the report stage in the House of Lords on 24th February. Every day, an estimated 3 million cigarette filters are littered in the UK. This means that since the first reading of the Bill in parliament on the 20th March 2024, approximately 1.8 billion cigarette filters have been dropped onto UK streets and into waterways. With this bill the UK government could reduce plastic pollution and improve public health by answering the call from re

From bread bags to bubble wrap, crisp packets to cling film, we are still heavily reliant on soft plastic packaging despite the damage it does to the planet after use. Recycling has been shown to be largely ineffective . We need to reduce our reliance on soft plastics in the first place and encourage reusable packaging. The Role of Supermarkets Despite promising to phase out soft plastics, UK supermarkets have been failing to meet their own targets on reducing soft plastic

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People exposes the problems presented by plastic production and pollution in the world today. Fortunately, there is a glimmer of hope. Some solutions are afloat in this time of crisis. Rick Smith ( Slow Death by Rubber Duck ) is confident that society can solve pollution problems . Previous generations were exposed to pollutants that ceased to exist once the health costs became clear. Banning certain chemicals improved population health.

As shown in Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People, national and community-scale decisions and bans on plastics can be effective. In Rwanda, Juliet Kabera*, Director General of the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, discusses their 2004 nation-wide implementation of an effective plastic carrier bag ban. This was followed by a law against polythene bags in 2008. The next step is curtailing use of other single-use plastic items including straws, plates and cutlery.

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s evocative documentary Plastic People covers a range of the impacts of plastic pollution on our bodies. Professor Dick Vethaak* states that not only do microplastics affect the health of animals, plants and the environment, but also our own health - if one component is affected by microplastics, it also affects the health of humans. According to Vethaak, this impact on human health includes a higher probability of cancer development later in life

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s documentary Plastic People details the many health problems associated with plastic pollution and exposure . Alongside obesity, inflammatory responses and cancer, plastics potentially contribute to fertility issues due to chemicals leaching out of plastics. This affects both men and women, and by 2045, a lot of couples may struggle to reproduce naturally , according to Dr Pete Myers*. Even if couples lean towards IVF, plastics used during the pr

In the documentary Plastic People , Ziya Tong and Ben Addelman describe how we are “ slowly turning into plastic people ,” consuming microplastics in our food and breathing them in from the air. Once within the body, plastics could potentially cause fertility issues, obesity and cancer. Plastic in the body also comes from textiles including toothbrushes, polystyrene containers and non-stick pans. Microplastics are a contaminant different to other types, their physical presen

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People covers a range of concerning outcomes resulting from plastic pollution. One of the main concerns is the prevalence of microplastics . Common sources include shedding particles from plastic waste, paint from buildings and boats, and tyre dust from cars and planes. Millions of metric tons of microplastics leave the land each year , some floating and travelling, some breaking down and going up into the atmosphere, some sinking to the b

Ben Addelman and Ziya Tong’s Plastic People is an exposé of the disastrous consequences of plastic pollution . The development of plastic allowed an unprecedented level of material abundance, health and cleanliness alongside 'unlimited capitalist consumption' (Susan Freinkel*). Plastic, created from “molecules never before seen under the sun,” now pollutes the sea, causing the Great Garbage Patch , filling bird carcasses and infiltrating our bloodstream . With over 1.5 b