By Ojugbele Omotunde
BAN Toxics, an environmental NGO, is advocating for urgent action to address climate-related issues such as plastic pollution and global warming, which pose significant threats to public health.
This call comes in light of World Health Day, observed annually on April 7, with this year’s theme “My Health, My Right”.
The NGO is urging for a national ban on single-use plastics and non-essential plastic products, along with targets to cap and phase down virgin plastic production.
These measures aim to reduce plastic waste and mitigate the detrimental impacts on human health and the environment due to inadequate waste management practices.
Jam Lorenzo, Policy Development and Research Officer at BAN Toxics, highlighted that the warming climate caused by human-induced climate change and the El Niño phenomenon exacerbates health risks associated with plastic pollution.
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The increased heat index levels accelerate plastic aging, promote microplastic formation, and enhance the release of hazardous substances, posing serious health threats.
Lorenzo emphasized that El Niño-related health concerns include heatstroke, vector-borne diseases, respiratory and cardiovascular disorders due to poor air quality, while ocean acidification leads to cancer, endocrine disruption, and cognitive impairments.
Exposure to microplastics, Lorenzo noted, can induce oxidative stress, metabolic disorders, immunological responses, neurotoxicity, and reproductive toxicity. Additionally, toxic additives in plastics have enduring and bioaccumulative health impacts.
Despite the enactment of the 2023 Extended Producer Responsibility law, BAN Toxics advocates for stronger regulations to combat plastic pollution comprehensively.
They stress the importance of a lifecycle-based approach to plastics management, spanning from raw material extraction to disposal, to safeguard health, well-being, livelihoods, and the environment.
To address the escalating plastic pollution crisis globally, BAN Toxics is calling for a binding international treaty that comprehensively addresses plastic pollution’s lifecycle, recognizing plastic as a pollutant stemming from fossil fuel extraction.
This proactive approach aims to reverse the tide of plastic pollution and safeguard public health and environmental integrity through systemic change and robust regulatory frameworks.
