Plastics And Human Health
Source: Beyond Plastics

Plastics And Chemicals

More than 98% of plastics are made from fossil fuels such as oil and gas. Turning these substances into plastics requires numerous petrochemical additives. At least 13,000 chemicals are known to be involved in the production of plastics.

More than 2,300 of these are chemicals of concern. Some are highly toxic and include carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and hormone disruptors. These chemicals pose serious risks to our health because they can leach into food, especially when containers hold hot, acidic, or oily foods. Learn more about Plastics and Human Health. Learn more about bisphenols & phthalates.
Styrofoam/expanded polystyrene (often called foam) contains styrene, a suspected carcinogen and neurotoxicant, which can migrate into food. Styrene has documented impacts on human health, including cancer, disruption of hormones, and reproductive harm. Learn more from the Center for Environmental Health: Polystyrene, Disposable Food Containers, and Contaminated Food.

Black plastic contains many toxic chemicals. Some are highly toxic and include carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and hormone disruptors. Black plastic may also contain flame-retardant chemicals because it is made from recycled electronics, which often contain flame retardants.
Chemical migration from packaging into food increases with higher temperatures and longer storage times.
Hormone disruptors affect the most vulnerable: fetuses, infants, and young children. Yet we feed them with plastic bottles, on plastic dishes, and allow them to chew on rubber ducks and teething rings.

Non-Recyclability and Waste

Styrofoam and black plastic are not accepted by most curbside recycling programs. Styrofoam, due to its lightweight and porous nature, easily breaks into small fragments, contaminating recycling streams and the environment. Most municipal recycling facilities lack the equipment necessary to process it, resulting in nearly all used Styrofoam ending up in landfills or, worse, in waterways and oceans.

Black plastic, often made from polystyrene or polypropylene, poses a different challenge. The dark pigment used in these containers interferes with the optical sorting machines at recycling plants, making it nearly impossible to identify and process the material. As a result, black plastic is typically sent directly to an incinerator or landfill. Even if a brand-new recycling facility has upgraded its optical sorting machines to detect black plastic, the use of black plastic, which contains toxic chemicals, poses a significant health risk.

Plastics do not biodegrade; they break down into small pieces called micro- and nanoplastics, which can take over 450 years. During this time, they leach harmful chemicals into soil and water, threatening ecosystems, entering the food chain, and affecting human health.

Black plastic often contains additives and dyes that are difficult to break down and may include hazardous substances, such as flame retardants and heavy metals. Learn more about micro- and nanoplastics: Dangerous Chemicals and Microplastics In Our Food from Plastic Containers, Wraps, and Packaging.

Environmental Hazards

Plastics are everywhere in our environment. They are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, our soil, our food and beverages, and they have migrated into every organ within our body.

Many of the thousands of chemicals in plastic leach into our food from the plastic packaging used in selling the food and beverages to us. They are in the cookware and utensils used in preparing food in our kitchens.

Every week, we are ingesting the equivalent of a credit card’s worth of microplastics.

Where Are Plastics Found?

Schedule A Screening And Presentation

We are scheduling free educational events throughout the community to communicate the health risks associated with plastic use. Two highly acclaimed documentaries present the findings of researchers and physicians. Their research shows that plastic is in the air, in the water, and in the food we eat. It’s been found inside our bodies, our colons, our brains, in breast milk, in developing fetuses, even in our hearts. It has been linked to infertility.

Educational Sessions

Showing of Documentary Film
Film Discussion
Presentation On How To Reduce Your Exposure
Sustainable Southbury will provide practical tips to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals in plastics. Don't miss this important opportunity to safeguard your well-being and your loved ones!
To schedule your showing, contact us at info@sustainablesouthbury.org.

View Documentary Films

Film - We're All Plastic People Now
An Emmy Award-winning documentary, introduced by Ted Danson and featured at the 2024 Santa Fe Film Festival, about the impact of plastics on your health. This groundbreaking film, for the first time ever, tests the producer’s blood and four generations of family members for chemicals derived from plastic. The results are alarming.
Film Trailer: We're All Plastic People Now
Full Viewing on South Florida PBS: We're All Plastic People Now
Film – The Plastic Detox
The dangers of using plastics have an unprecedented health toll on fertility, puberty, and much more. This documentary follows the research of Dr. Swan and other experts in the field, covering the impact on human development and showing how we can take matters into our own hands.
Film Trailer: The Plastic Detox
Full Viewing on Netflix: The Plastic Detox