A new Lancet report reveals plastic pollution's devastating health impact, costing the world over $1.5 trillion annually. The report, released ahead of crucial Geneva talks on a global plastic treaty, highlights plastic's link to various diseases from infancy to adulthood, including reproductive issues, cognitive impairment, and cancer. Researchers urge delegates to finalize a treaty, emphasizing the urgent need for international cooperation to address this escalating global crisis exacerbated by rising plastic production and its connection to the climate crisis. Microplastics, pervasive in nature and the human body, pose a further, yet-to-be-fully-understood, health threat.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.