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It’s time to put plastics on the health security agenda: a call to action for Indonesia and Australia
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Plastic waste is on track to nearly triple by 2060, and tiny plastic particles called microplastics are already getting into our bodies, even crossing into unborn babies through the placenta. This commentary argues that plastic pollution should be treated as a health emergency, since lifelong exposure starting before birth is linked to serious problems like heart disease, breathing issues, fertility struggles, and cancer. The authors call on governments, using Indonesia and Australia as examples, to start treating plastic pollution as a public health priority, not just an environmental one.
The global escalation of plastic waste has reached a critical level, with plastic use projected to nearly triple from 460 million tonnes (Mt) in 2019 to 1231 Mt by 2060, and environmental leakage expected to double to 44 Mt annually.1 This trajectory poses serious ecological and public health risks, particularly as emerging evidence shows that microplastics can cross the placental barrier, exposing fetuses to contamination even before birth.2 From the moment infants are born they inhale air already contaminated with hazardous plastic-derived pollutants which accumulate over time across the life course, exacerbating the risks of several health concerns including respiratory disease and infection, cardiovascular disease, infertility and cancer. We’re setting our children up to suffer and they deserve better.
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Indonesia has some of the highest microplastic pollution in its waters worldwide, and this review of 42 studies finds these tiny plastic particles are showing up in the fish people eat—causing DNA damage and organ harm in the fish themselves, while also carrying toxic heavy metals along for the ride. Even more concerning, microplastics have been found in human blood, brain tissue, and breast milk, with links to reduced cognitive function, highlighting an urgent need for better plastic waste policies to protect public health.
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Indonesia is drowning in plastic waste, with hundreds of thousands of tons leaking into the ocean each year—breaking down into microplastics that can end up in the seafood we eat and the water we drink. This study proposes a plastic tax that could raise billions of dollars while cutting pollution, money that could fund better waste management and ocean cleanup instead of letting the problem grow. It's a reminder that smart policy—not just individual choices—may be key to reducing the plastic that eventually finds its way into our bodies.
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