Inequitable distribution of plastic benefits and burdens on economies and public health

Abstract

Plastic heterogeneously affects social systems – notably human health and local and global economies. Here we discuss illustrative examples of the benefits and burdens of each stage of the plastic lifecycle (e.g., macroplastic production, consumption, recycling). We find the benefits to communities and stakeholders are principally economic, whereas burdens fall largely on human health. Furthermore, the economic benefits of plastic are rarely applied to alleviate or mitigate the health burdens it creates, amplifying the disconnect between who benefits and who is burdened. In some instances, social enterprises in low-wealth areas collect and recycle waste, creating a market for upcycled goods. While such endeavors generate local socioeconomic benefits, they perpetuate a status quo in which the burden of responsibility for waste management falls on downstream communities, rather than on producers who have generated far greater economic benefits. While the traditional cost-benefit analyses that inform decision-making disproportionately weigh economic benefits over the indirect, and often unquantifiable, costs of health burdens, we stress the need to include the health burdens of plastic to all impacted stakeholders across all plastic life stages in policy design. We therefore urge the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to consider all available knowledge on the deleterious effects of plastic across the entire plastic lifecycle while drafting the upcoming international global plastic treaty.

Will the Global Plastics Treaty break the plastic wave? The beginning of a long discussion road

“…Another significant point highlighted in the studies is the correlation between plastic pollution and human rights, as plastic pollution disproportionately affects the most vulnerable communities (Karasik et al 2023;Landrigan et al 2023a).…”

“…In addition, those who profit economically from plastic should bear an equitable number of expenses currently not accounted for (Landrigan et al 2023a). The economic advantages of plastic are rarely used to lessen or minimize the health risks it causes, which widens the gap between those who gain and those who suffer (Karasik et al 2023).…”

Kajian Pemanfaatan Zeolit Alam Ende sebagai Katalis dalam Pirolisis Polietilena dari Sampah Plastik

“…Plastik merupakan salah satu material yang paling banyak digunakan sehari-hari karena sifatnya yang kuat dan tidak mudah rusak (Karasik et al, 2023). Akibatnya, sampah plastik yang dihasilkan pun terus meningkat seiring dengan peningkatan jumlah penduduk, yang akhirnya berujung pada penumpukan sampah plastik di Tempat Pembuangan Akhir sampah (TPA) (Sakti et al, 2021).…”

Bio-based hyperbranched epoxy resins: synthesis and recycling

“…mobile phones and tablet PCs) containing a large number of thermosets only have a 3 year lifetime. The only viable measures to dispose of waste thermosets are incineration and landfill disposal at the moment, 59 which results in serious environmental damage and pollution.…”