Page 86 - restitution_book_MOW2023_EN

84 | CURBING PLASTIC POLLUTION

A MATTER OF SOCIAL AND THE COMMITTEE'S
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RECOMMENDATIONS

"We argue that human health must become a priority In the seventh section, the Minderoo-Monaco Com-
argument in international negotiations on plastic pol- mission concludes that current methods of produ-
lution", says Professor Philip Landrigan, Director of cing, using, and disposing of plastics are not sustai-
the Global Observatory on Planetary Health at Bos- nable and are responsible for significant damage to
ton College, who is very concerned about the lack human health, the environment, and the economy. It,
of progress by regulatory bodies. In this sense, the therefore, recommends establishing health protection
interdisciplinary commission supports the adoption of standards for plastics-related chemicals, requiring all
a strong global treaty on plastics, structured around polymers and plastics-related chemicals to undergo
the protection of human and global health. toxicity testing before entering the market, as well as
post-marketing surveillance. The committee recom-
"These results lead us to call for the banning or severe mends that the principles of social and environmental
restriction of unnecessary, avoidable and problematic justice and intergenerational equity should be essen-
plastic items, many of which contain dangerous che- tial components of the global plastics treaty and the
micals linked to horrific damage to people and the global agenda, alongside climate change.
planet, adds Professor Sarah Dunlop, head of plas-
tics and human health at the Minderoo Foundation. Better production practices, alternative design me-
We will work to ensure that plastics are considered thods, less toxic chemicals, reduced consumption...
as persistent pollutants in international conventions." Finally, the report lists the sustainable solutions that
can be implemented by governments and industry to
Dr Hervé Raps, a doctor at the Monaco Scientific minimise the negative consequences of global conta-
Centre, emphasises the still largely unknown effects mination by plastics.
of micro- and nano-plastics and pollutants on the ma-
rine environment, a subject addressed in detail in the The experts then met behind closed doors to conti-
third section of the report: "Plastic waste is endan- nue their work and agree on the next steps.
gering the ocean ecosystems on which all humanity
depends. In addition to their intrinsic effects, plastics
can also be a vector for potentially pathogenic mi-
cro-organisms."

“Although there are still gaps in knowledge about the harmful effects of
plastics and uncertainties about their extent, the data available today
IN unequivocally demonstrates that these effects are significant and will
SIGHT worsen in the absence of urgent and effective action on a global scale”.
Report of the Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human
Health, Annals of Global Health, 21 March 2023