A new report underscores the dangers of endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics, impacting hormonal health and costing the U.S. billions annually in healthcare.
Joseph Winters reports for Grist.
In short:
- More than 3,200 plastic chemicals are known to harm human health or the environment, with only 6% regulated internationally.
- Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from plastics mimic hormones, affecting metabolic and reproductive systems and are linked to 20% of the U.S.'s preterm births.
- Global action, including a U.N. treaty, is deemed crucial to address the international scale of the crisis and protect public health.
Key quote:
"This is an international problem that is affecting our world and its future."
— Andrea Gore, professor of pharmacology and toxicology, University of Texas, Austin
Why this matters:
The prevalence of EDCs in everyday plastics poses grave risks to human health, affecting everything from reproduction to the risk of chronic diseases. Read more on EDCs: Everything you need to know about endocrine-disrupting chemicals and how to avoid them.
