We consume a credit card worth of plastic each week. What is it doing to our health?

“We found compelling evidence in animal studies that microplastic exposures can harm fertility in males and females, respiratory health, and induce biological changes that are markers for increased cancer risk in the digestive tract,” he says.

Dr Paul Harvey is an environmental scientist, chemist, and author of The Plasticology Project.

“This report really confirms what many of us in the environmental health space have thought for a long time,” he says. “Microplastics (or indeed any ingested plastic) has the potential to result in human health issues. Whether this is cancer, kidney issues, digestive tract issues, or some other adverse health outcome.”

That said, the lack of hard evidence makes Jones more cautious.

“There is a lot of uncertainty. Imminent danger seems unlikely as plastics have been in use since the 1950s and we are all still around,” he says, adding that the dose makes the difference. “We really need more human data to understand the risks here.”

But Chartres, who says the industry uses stalling tactics and demands long-term studies as a way to keep selling their products, says we must act now.

“These plastics are PBTs. Persistent: they don’t ever completely break down; bio-accumulative: they continue to build up in living organisms and, now toxic,” says the Sydney-based father of three. “While we let industry argue over whether these studies provide sufficient, evidence of harm, the world my kids are going to inherit is filling up more and more with plastic.”

So, what can we do about it?

Microplastics are the tiny fragments that break down from larger plastics including bottles, car tires, beauty products containing plastic beads, cigarettes, clothing and bedding made from synthetic fibres.

“The current research suggests single-use plastic bottled water is one of the primary avenues for microplastic to enter the body,” says Harvey, “so moving away from bottled water consumption would be one effective way for individuals to reduce potential exposure to microplastics.”

We can also avoid plastic wrapping and other single-use plastics (e.g. plastic bags), 98 per cent of which are from fossil fuels.

And, Jones adds: “The plastic you do use should be disposed of properly (or better yet recycled) not thrown away in parks and creeks.”

There are other things we can do, including buying a microfibre filter, laundry bag, or a washing machine that contains a filter, to prevent microfibre pollution from entering the ocean and freshwater ecosystems. This is important given that laundry microfibres, which are a type of microplastic from tiny polyester and acrylic threads, are a significant source of ocean pollution.

Though every effort we make counts, these are imperfect solutions. Until the government steps in, limiting our exposure and making a meaningful difference is challenging.

“Without any form of criteria or guideline, plastic is generally released haphazardly into the environment, without control,” Harvey explains, adding that we need investigation and regulations in place similar to other environmental contaminants like lead, pesticides or oil.

People like Chartres are trying to make that happen.

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“We are currently presenting the finding of this report to US Congressional offices and we have presented this already to the California State Legislature,” he explains.

“From an Australian standpoint, there has been limited meaningful action following the introduction of the National Plastics Plan.”

Instead, he agrees with Harvey that the Australian government needs to add “specific and strict” timelines, targets and enforce penalties on the industry if they are not met. Through civic engagement, he believes it is possible to create meaningful change, as happened with tobacco.

“I think what is important for the public to understand is that the plastic crisis is not just a waste issue but is intimately tied to climate change, environmental justice, and international human rights,” he says. “The production of plastics harm human health, the environment and our climate.”

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she was ready to demand more action from the industry on plastic recycling, while the government is spending $250 million on recycling facilities and planning to reform packaging laws by 2025.

“I have already announced that I will be regulating recycling of solar panels and electronic goods. If business doesn’t voluntarily step up on plastics, I will regulate,” she said in a statement.

“Australia has a target that 70 per cent of Australia’s plastic packaging will be recycled by 2025. But it’s been stuck at 16 per cent for the last four years.

“These are good targets – but the previous government did nothing to deliver them.”

Plibersek met with the nation’s environment ministers in October and committed to achieving a circular economy by 2030.

“To achieve this we need to get things right at the start, when we’re designing products, to make sure they’re built to be reused and recycled, not thrown out,” she said.

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