New study analyses chemicals in plastic
A new international study, published in the journal Nature, systematically analyses over 16,000 chemicals in plastics. It reveals how many of them are harmful to human health and the environment and shows concrete ways in which the plastics industry can become safer and more transparent in future.
Plastics are not just an environmental problem, they are a chemical risk. Whether packaging, children’s toys or electronics. Almost all plastic products contain chemicals, many of which are potentially harmful to humans and the environment. The new study, in which renowned research institutions such as Empa, Eawag and Norwegian universities are involved, is the first to systematically analyse the chemical footprint of the plastic world.
PlastChem database
The accompanying PlastChem database lists over 16,000 chemicals that are used in plastics, either intentionally or as contaminants. According to the authors, at least 4,200 of these are clearly harmful to health or the environment. What is particularly alarming is that these chemicals are not only found in specialised applications, but also in everyday products such as food packaging, toys and construction plastics.
Bioassays instead of black boxes
An innovative approach to risk assessment lies in the use of so-called bioassays, biological tests that measure the toxic effect of released substances without knowing their exact chemical structure. This opens up new ways to better identify previously unidentified substances, a necessity considering that plastics often contain degradation products and reaction residues that do not fit into any list.
Three levers for safe plastics
The study identifies three key areas of action:
- Substitution of hazardous substances with safe alternatives,
- Transparency about chemical content in products along the value chain,
- chemically simplified polymer designs that facilitate reuse and recycling.
These approaches are not only technological, but also political tasks. This is because there is often a lack of regulatory clarity as to which chemicals may and may not be used.
Impetus for the global plastics agreement
The results provide a scientifically sound basis for concrete measures just in time for the UN negotiation process on a global plastics agreement. According to the researchers, it is crucial that not only environmental but also health aspects are now at the centre of the plastics strategy.
Voices from research
“Plastics not only contain too many chemicals, but also too many that we know almost nothing about,” says lead author Martin Wagner (NTNU). Empa researcher Zhanyun Wang adds: “Chemical simplification is a key to a truly circular economy.”
The study makes it clear that “business as usual” in plastics production is neither ecologically sustainable nor justifiable from a health perspective. Anyone who wants to use plastics in the future must rethink them, from molecular design to global responsibility.