The environmental pollution caused by plastics has been thoroughly explored in various fields. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of data regarding the effects of plastics on climate and biodiversity. Researchers have investigated the impact of plastics on the interconnected issues of climate change, biodiversity decline, and environmental pollution. They advocate for regulations on plastics that recognize their complex effects across these three critical crises. The upcoming UN Global Plastics Treaty discussions scheduled from November 25 in Busan, South Korea, offer a chance to implement such regulations.
Although the negative impact of plastics on the environment has been extensively documented, the effects of plastics on climate change and biodiversity remain less understood. A comprehensive study published in the journal Environment International by a collaborative research team from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) examines how plastics contribute to the three planetary crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution. They are advocating for plastic regulations that recognize the diverse impacts of plastics on these interlinked issues, particularly as negotiations for the UN Global Plastics Treaty are set to take place in Busan starting November 25.
The term “triple planetary crisis” has been introduced by the United Nations to refer to the interconnected global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution. This terminology emphasizes the relationship and collective effects these crises have on ecosystems, societies, and economies. Although the environmental pollution caused by plastics is well-studied, the impacts on biodiversity and climate change have not been as thoroughly examined. Dr. Christian Schmidt, a hydrologist from UFZ, notes, “Current scientific knowledge regarding how these crises interact through plastics is lacking and uneven.”
The UFZ researchers, who come from a diverse range of fields, including hydrology, toxicology, microbiology, environmental chemistry, and social sciences, analyzed over 19,000 scientific studies for this article. Their findings reveal a stark disparity: out of the studies reviewed, 17,463 focused on the detrimental effects of plastics on environmental pollution, only 1,279 looked at climate change impacts, and merely 652 explored effects on biodiversity. Prof. Annika Jahnke, an environmental chemist at UFZ, summarizes, “There’s a major imbalance in the existing research.”
There is substantial knowledge concerning environmental pollution related to the life cycle of plastics. Since the 1950s, about 9.2 billion tons of plastics have been produced globally; currently, 2.9 billion tons are in use, with 2.7 billion tons being primary plastics and around 200 million tons being recycled. Conversely, 5.3 billion tons have been discarded in landfills and approximately 1 billion tons have been incinerated. Additionally, it is estimated that between 1.75 billion and 2.5 billion tons of plastics are poorly managed, risking unintended leakage into the environment. While the potential dangers of toxic chemicals associated with plastics and their effects on oceans, soil, and freshwater ecosystems are well-documented, there remain significant gaps in knowledge regarding questions such as how plastic is transported by wind and water, how much enters the oceans, where it accumulates, and how environmental factors like UV radiation, temperature changes, or mechanical forces affect both plastics and their accompanying chemicals.
Moreover, there are very few studies examining plastics’ effects on the atmosphere and cryosphere, which includes parts of the Earth’s surface covered by snow or ice. Research on nanoplastics is particularly lacking compared to that on microplastics, which have been studied more frequently due to their larger size. The chemical makeup of many plastics remains largely undiscovered as they often contain various added chemicals, including UV stabilizers, plasticizers, and various processing aids designed to facilitate manufacturing or impart desired characteristics to the plastic. Since around 640 million tons of these additive chemicals have been incorporated into plastic products, much remains unknown about their release and the consequences for both human health and the environment, as indicated by Annika Jahnke.
Research into plastics’ contributions to climate change is also limited. Questions about the greenhouse gas emissions linked to plastic production, the extent of plastics’ impact on global biogeochemical cycles, and changes to the earth’s albedo—how much solar radiation is reflected from its surface—remain underexplored. Similarly, few studies have addressed the implications of plastic pollution on biodiversity, despite some research on plastic toxicity, ecosystem habitat changes, and species transport. Dr. Christian Schmidt emphasizes that it’s essential to move beyond perceiving plastics solely as a waste issue, stating, “Plastics are not just a waste management challenge; their entire life cycle, from raw material extraction onward, needs to be considered.” Plastics also contribute to climate change and the decline of biodiversity through various mechanisms. Thus, addressing environmental pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss must be done holistically. “A broader perspective is essential,” he concludes.
The UFZ researchers believe there is a pressing need for comprehensive international policies focused on regulating plastics to encourage a shift towards holistic global solutions. Annika Jahnke notes that “Plastics contain about 16,000 different chemicals, with more than 4,200 of these being persistent in the environment, accumulating in living organisms, dispersing over long distances, or presenting potential hazards.” Current regulations address only a small fraction of these substances. Many harmful chemicals could be substituted with less harmful alternatives that serve the same purpose. Working alongside UFZ ecotoxicologist Dr. Dana Kühnel and as part of the “Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty,” Jahnke aims to provide recommendations during upcoming negotiations for a global UN plastics treaty, set to take place in Busan from November 25 to December 1. In this final meeting, participants aim to adopt a global agreement targeting the reduction of new plastic production and limiting hazardous chemical usage in plastics. “Given the extensive implications of plastics, it is crucial to align future agreements with regulations aimed at maintaining climate health and biodiversity. This requires comprehensive regulation of plastics and their associated chemicals,” emphasizes Dana Kühnel.
