The economic fallout is just as alarming. The Lancet estimates plastics now contribute to over $1.5 trillion in annual health-related economic losses. With global production expected to surge from 475 megatons in 2022 to 1,200 megatons by 2060, and only 9% of all plastic waste ever recycled, the burden on public health systems and the environment is intensifying.
Plastic waste, now at 8,000 megatonnes globally, is found in oceans, soils, human bloodstreams, and even placentas. But as The Lancet points out, this damage isn’t irreversible. Just like global action reduced lead poisoning and curbed air pollution, plastic’s harms can be mitigated—if backed by transparent laws, funding, and science-based policies.
In response to the accelerating crisis, UN member states are negotiating the Global Plastics Treaty, a legally binding agreement designed to regulate plastics across their full lifecycle—from production and design to disposal and pollution. If passed in its current form, the treaty could bring sweeping changes to how industries use plastic.
Key provisions on the table include: capping virgin polymer production, eliminating harmful plastic additives, mandating global reporting standards, and enforcing circular economy practices. While industry groups are pushing for voluntary measures, the science behind The Lancet’s findings is sharpening calls for strict enforcement.
Coinciding with the treaty, The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics will launch an independent monitoring system to track national progress on reducing plastic-related health risks. Using globally representative indicators, this initiative aims to bring transparency and accountability to how governments—and by extension, businesses—respond to the crisis.
