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 RECYCLED PLASTICS:  HEALTH CONCERNS CONTINUE TO MOUNT





Recycled plastic, often touted as a solution to the plastic pollution crisis, may introduce new risks due to its chemical composition. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Leipzig have found that a single pellet of recycled polyethylene plastic can leach more than 80 chemicals into water. Their study shows that these chemicals can disrupt hormone systems and fat metabolism in zebrafish larvae, raising questions about the safety of recycled plastics.

The team bought recycled polyethylene plastic pellets from various locations worldwide. They soaked these pellets in water for 48 hours, then exposed zebrafish larvae to the water for 5 days. The fish showed changes in gene expression related to fat metabolism, fat cell development, and hormonal regulation. According to Azora König Kardgar, the lead author and an ecotoxicologist at the University of Gothenburg, even brief exposure times were sufficient to alter the fish’s physiology and health.

This unpredictability poses a significant challenge for plastic recycling. Plastics often contain thousands of chemical additives, many of which are not disclosed and can be hazardous to human health. Some are known to interfere with hormones and can affect reproductive health, child development, cancer risk, obesity, and diabetes. Since it’s rarely possible to know which chemicals are present in recycled plastics, the process can yield products with unknown, potentially toxic mixtures.

The researchers also analyzed the chemicals that leached from the pellets. They found a mix of typical plastic additives, such as UV stabilizers and plasticizers, and substances not intended for plastics, including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and biocides. These may have entered the plastics during their first use before recycling, highlighting the challenges of tracking and managing chemical contamination in plastic waste streams.

As international negotiations continue on a Global Plastics Treaty, scientists are calling for stricter rules that ban or reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in plastics and for greater transparency across the plastics supply chain. They argue that safely and sustainably recycling plastics is impossible without addressing these chemical risks.

Polyethylene (PE) is the most widely produced plastic commonly used in packaging, bottle caps, plastic bags, agricultural films, insulation, pipes, ropes, toys, and household items. It is identified by recycling codes 2 or 4.

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