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Plastics
Plastic Health Umbrella Review
A world leading study that provides the most robust evidence yet that human health is seriously harmed by plastics, across the entire human life cycle.
Hear from the experts
In conjunction with the Umbrella Review publications, Minderoo hosted an online event which featured a panel that spoke about the groundbreaking findings on five key classes of chemicals and their impacts on human health.
To catch up and hear insights from our expert panelists, click here.
About
Now, in one report, there is a comprehensive overview of substantial and concerning evidence for how chemicals in plastic are harming our health.
Minderoo Foundation, in collaboration with JBI at the University of Adelaide, undertook an umbrella review, systematically examining vast amounts of research data from thousands of scientific studies on exposure to plastic chemicals and the impacts on human health.
The Plastic Health Umbrella Review specifically looked at some of the most commonly used plastic chemicals that we know humans are exposed to: BPA (bisphenol A), phthalates (plasticisers), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), both of which are flame retardants, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
The Umbrella Review found that there is consistent and irrefutable evidence that plastic chemicals in every class examined harm human health across the entire human life cycle.
Key findings
We are exposed to chemicals in plastic through our daily lives
This exposure starts from preconception onwards and includes BPA (bisphenol A), phthalates (plasticisers), PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
This exposure is linked to a wide range of health impacts
The health impacts affect all stages of life, and include:
Before birth and at birth
miscarriage, weight, genital malformation
Childhood
lower IQ, ADHD (girls), obesity, blood pressure, asthma, psychomotor development, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, thyroid function, cardiovascular disease, bronchitis, allergic rhinitis (“hay fever”), insulin resistance
Adulthood
endometriosis, sperm concentration and quality, polycystic ovarian syndrome, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, obesity, liver cancer, lung cancer, hepatic disease, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, thyroid function, malignant melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
None of the plastic chemicals examined can be considered safe
We cannot assume unstudied plastic substances are safe
The plastic chemicals examined are a tiny fraction of the thousands used in plastics
Many thousands of chemicals are used in plastics. The Umbrella Review found that most plastic chemicals, as well as polymers and microplastics, have been insufficiently or never studied for human health effects. Considering the evidence of harm found for the few chemicals that have been examined, we should take a precautionary approach, and not assume safety for the rest.
Fact sheets
Have questions about the chemicals studied, the plastic products they are commonly found in and what the impacts on our health are? Our fact sheets provide concise summaries for each chemical class, where it’s commonly found and the potential health impacts.
What does this mean for human health?
Our key findings show increased health risks at every stage of life. Watch the video below to learn more and find out how you can be part of the solution.
The evidence
The findings from the Umbrella Review are accessible through:
Peer-reviewed Scientific Paper
A world leading study drawing together evidence on the impacts of plastic-associated chemical exposure on human health.
Read paperUmbrella Review Report
A report describing the Umbrella Review, from high-level summaries to detailed descriptions of the findings, the methodology and the raw data, and recommendations for regulators and industry.
Download reportDeep Dive Video
An extensive breakdown video discussing the origins and significance of the Umbrella Review evidence, and how to understand the key findings in the Report.
Watch videoHear from the experts
The Umbrella Review and the Global Plastics Treaty
In conjunction with the Umbrella Review publications, Minderoo hosted an online event led by Jane Muncke, Managing Director of the Food Packaging Forum.
The event featured a panel that spoke about the groundbreaking findings on five key classes of chemicals and their impacts on human health and the implications for stronger regulations under the Global Plastics Treaty.
Catch up now to hear insights from our expert panelists:
Professor Sarah Dunlop | contributing author | Head of Plastics and Human Health, Minderoo Foundation
Dr. Christos Symeonides | contributing author | Pediatrician | Principal, Clinical Research, Plastics and Human Health, Minderoo Foundation
Halatoa Fua | Director, National Environment Service, Cook Islands
Kate Robertson | Technical Officer (Legal), World Health Organization
We need a Global Plastics Treaty
The potential impact of plastic chemicals on our health requires a global response. There is currently a Global Plastics Treaty being negotiated by countries which could provide a regulatory framework to protect human health from the impact of these chemicals.
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FAQs
What is an umbrella review and why is it important?
An umbrella review is a study that synthesises findings from multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses on a particular topic.
This Umbrella Review is both the broadest and most in-depth synthesis of quantitative evidence on the human safety and health effects of major plastic-associated chemicals. The evidence presented comes from observational research – the ideal way to investigate potential links between human exposures and health outcome that develop over time.
After all, it wouldn’t be ethical to run controlled experiments where people are deliberately exposed to potentially toxic substances, with their subsequent health outcomes monitored. And lab studies, including animal research, provide limited insight into chemical toxicity in humans, especially when it comes to understanding long-term exposure, delayed effects, and impacts such as mental health and child neurodevelopment.
Findings from multiple observational studies can, however, inform us of health impacts that would not be picked up by other forms of safety testing.
What are systematic reviews and meta-analyses?
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are essential tools in evaluating the existing data in primary research, providing robust and comprehensive insights into research questions. They help clinicians, policymakers, and researchers make informed decisions by synthesising the best available evidence.
Did this Umbrella Review look at all plastic chemicals?
The study looked at a number of chemicals commonly found in plastics. It is estimated that there are more than 16,000 chemicals used in plastic production, but only a fraction have been studied for human exposure and health outcomes.
Like Minderoo’s Plastic Health Map, this Umbrella Review searched for research on polymers, the backbone of plastic; microplastics, considering widespread human exposure to plastic particles; plasticisers and flame retardants, two types of plastic additives with high production volumes and high concentrations in plastic; as well as bisphenol monomers and PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances), which are common in plastics and have known health concerns.
No systematically reviewed evidence was found on polymers or microplastics. Evidence was found on BPA (the most widely studied bisphenol), phthalates (commonly used plasticisers), PBDEs and PCBs (have been used as flame retardants) and PFAS.
Why are micro- and nanoplastics missing from the review?
While microplastics were included in our search, we did not find any meta-analyses on the effects of microplastics on human health. The current state of primary research on the effects of microplastics on human health is still in the early stages, largely due to the methodological limitations of accurately detecting microplastics in human bio-samples. As such, there is a lack of sufficient high-quality, standardised studies needed for statistical pooling. This is also the case for nano-plastics, although they were omitted from the search by design.
Will the Umbrella review be updated with newly emerging evidence?
Yes, we are developing a streamlined workflow, based on the robust methodology used in this Umbrella Review, to bring new research findings to the forefront. In collaboration with Boston College, we plan to broadcast these findings via the Global Observatory on Planetary Health.
Creators
This project was a collaboration between Minderoo Foundation and JBI.
Minderoo Foundation:
Christos Symeonides (a,b), Yannick Mulders (a), Sarah Dunlop (a,c)
- Minderoo Foundation
- Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Royal Children’s Hospital, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia
JBI, University of Adelaide:
Janine Dizon (a,b), Timothy Barker (a), Ashley Whitehorn (a), Tania Marin (a,b), Danielle Pollock (a), Edoardo Aromataris (a)
- JBI, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
Get in touch
We welcome questions and suggestions regarding this research reach out at PlasticHumanHealthReviews@minderoo.org