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Regulating chemicals globally is key to a successful plastics treaty
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This review argued that a successful global plastics treaty must regulate the more than 16,000 chemicals used across the plastic life cycle, not just the plastics themselves, as thousands of these chemicals meet criteria for persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity yet remain largely unregulated.
Abstract The unchecked rise in global plastic production has resulted in widespread pollution and exposure to hazardous chemicals. Over 16,000 chemicals are used across the plastics life cycle, with thousands meeting criteria for persistence, bioaccumulation, mobility and toxicity. Many remain unregulated under existing multilateral environmental agreements. In response, the United Nations Environment Assembly has mandated the development of an international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Current treaty negotiations have begun addressing a short list of chemicals, yet significant gaps remain. These include insufficient regulatory mechanisms, lack of chemical transparency and reliance on ineffective recycling strategies that reintroduce toxic substances into consumer products. The presence of harmful chemicals in plastics contributes to major public health burdens and is an environmental threat, with high annual costs that reduce the potential for economic development through safer recycling. Vulnerable populations, including children, reproductive-aged individuals, and frontline communities, face heightened risks. To address this, we recommend the following three critical actions for the treaty: (1) globally regulating chemicals of concern based on hazard; (2) mandating transparency of plastic chemical composition and (3) designing plastics using safe-by-design principles and essential-use criteria. Group-based regulation, which would consider categories of related chemicals, should replace individual chemical approaches to prevent regrettable substitutions. Binding, global obligations, rather than fragmented or voluntary measures, are vital for sustainability, chemical safety, circularity and accountability across the plastics life cycle. A strong treaty is a critical opportunity to achieve a safer, more sustainable future for human and environmental health.
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The time for ambitious action is now: Science-based recommendations for plastic chemicals to inform an effective global plastic treaty.
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A broad scientific review made the case for ambitious global action on plastic pollution, cataloguing the more than 16,000 chemicals in plastics — including many known toxins — and their potential to leach into food, water, and the environment. The authors argue that the scale of chemical risk from plastics justifies sweeping regulatory action on both production and chemical content.
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This review examined the full life cycle of plastics and evaluated options for managing plastic waste, with a focus on chemical recycling technologies. The study suggests that overcoming barriers to industrial chemical recycling could open new opportunities for reducing plastic pollution.
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This review examines how plastic packaging, the largest sector of plastic production, contributes to microplastic pollution in the marine environment and poses chemical risks to both marine life and humans through the food chain. The authors argue that upstream solutions like reducing plastic production and banning harmful chemicals in packaging are essential for an effective Global Plastics Treaty.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.