Plastics: a life cycle that threatens sustainability

JUAN M. RIAÑO; JORGE E. MARCOVECCHIO; ANA C. RONDA; GUSTAVO M. SOMOZA; MARINA FERNANDEZ; ANDRES H. ARIAS

Mar del Plata

Congreso; Reunión Annual de Sociedades de Biociencas; 2023

SAIC SAB AAFE AACyTAL

During the last decades, plastics have changed almost all aspects of our society, encompassing with their presence all aspects of our lives; however, the growing evidence of cumulative processes and impacts on biota, human health, economic and social processes requires that its entire life cycle be examined to address all possible mitigation measures. About 400 million tons of virgin plastic produced mainly from fossil fuels (>98%) are produced annually and this production is on an annual trend of exponential growth, projected to triple by 2050.During its manufacture, a large amount of Chemical compounds known as additives are added to provide different functionalities to the resins (34% plasticizers, 28% fillers, 13% flame retardants, 25% others such as dyes, antioxidants, light and heat stabilizers, lubricants, biocides, etc.). In total, more than 13,000 chemicals are used in the manufacture of plastics, of which only 7,000 haveso far been tested for their toxicological and/or endocrine-disrupting properties, and of these 3,200 present a potential risk. These include some flame retardants and UV stabilizers, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, bisphenols, alkyl phenols and alkyl phenol ethoxylates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metals and metalloids, and other unintentionally added substances.These compounds have dangerous properties and can circulate both in the environment and within organisms, accumulating, blocking or altering the action of hormones, reducing fertility, damaging the nervous system and causing uncontrolled cell proliferation. Some groups are more susceptible to such risks and women and children are more exposed to the serious and/or long-lastingadverse effects of these substances, although recently a decrease in male fertility has also been shown. Plastics can release these substances throughout their life cycle, not only during the extraction of raw materials, polymerization and manufacturing of plastic products, but alsoduring the use of the products and at the end of their life cycle during deposition, collection and, if they reach the environment, on their way to the atmosphere, water and soils. The presence of these compounds compromises the recycling processes and the true circularity of the product. Urgent action is needed to establish a sustainable process of production, manufacturing, use and recycling, which must certainly include simplification (less resins, fewer additives), standardization and the safety and traceability of chemicals in plastics.