The report calls for international caps on plastic production and reductions in the toxicity of chemicals in plastics.
An international commission led by researchers at Boston College published a sweepingTuesday that says plastics — which have become ubiquitous in our daily lives and our environment — are causing such harm to our health, it's time for global leaders to work together to regulate them.
Dr. Philip Landrigan of Boston College chairs the commission. He's a pediatrician and epidemiologist whose previous research led to major changes surrounding lead and pesticides. Landrigan directs the Global Observatory on Planetary Health at Boston College. He spoke with WBUR's Lynn Jolicoeur.On why scientists are feeling a sense of urgency about plastics now:
"And then the people who live near the factories that produce plastic are exposed to the toxic chemicals that those factories vent into the air. Those of us who use plastic every day in our lives, we and our children are exposed to chemicals that leach out of plastic during use, into our food, into our drinking water, from our clothing.""Many of the [more than 10,000] chemicals that are in plastic are highly toxic. They include chemicals that can cause cancer.
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