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Microplastics and Health Report. A report prepared for the Australian Centre for Disease Control, June 2026
Summary
This report reviews existing scientific research on how tiny plastic particles (microplastics) that we breathe and eat might affect our health, and compares how different countries like Australia, the US, and the UK are responding to this issue. While scientists are still working out exactly how much harm microplastics cause and through what mechanisms, this review helps identify what's known so far and highlights that health guidance varies a lot depending on where you live. The bottom line: research on microplastics and health is still developing, but it's a growing area of concern worth watching.
The Australian Centre for Disease Control commissioned Allen + Clarke to undertake a review of domestic and international health advice on the health effects of microplastics. This report delivers two key outputs:An evidence review on the potential associations between exposure to microplastic particles and health outcomes (including plausible mechanistic or biological processes that drive health or disease development and progression in humans)A comparative analysis of health advice and jurisdictional approaches to managing health-related risks from microplastics in Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States and advice provided by international organisations.