Plastic pollution is very present in our habit and raise in human body causing various trouble at every stage of life.
Jocelini do Régo
Once hailed as a miracle material, plastics are now infiltrating every corner of our environment—the land, the sea, the air, and ultimately, our own bodies. Today, scientists warn that the invisible threat of microplastics and endocrine disruptors could represent one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century【1】.
The Ubiquity of Microplastics
Microplastics are now present throughout the food chain. A global study found that 98.9% of seafood samples contained microplastics, exposing millions of consumers daily【2】. Beyond seafood, plastics leach into water, air, soil, and even packaging materials used for food preservation.
On average, a person ingests or inhales between 78,000 and 218,000 microplastic particles annually【3】. These particles have been detected in lungs, livers, joints, and even the brain, raising red flags about long-term health impacts【4】.
The Health Impacts: A silent and Growing Threat
Though research is ongoing, studies increasingly link microplastic exposure to severe health outcomes:
Short-term risks: heart attack, stroke, respiratory distress, and premature death【5】.
Long-term risks: fertility decline, impaired child development, cognitive deficits, and cancer【6】.
Professor Ana Soto (Boston University) warned: “When we discovered the first estrogenic compound in plastics, we realized this would be a public health problem. We cannot expose babies to these substances without consequences.”【7】
Paediatrician Anders Juul (Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen) has observed puberty disorders emerging earlier: the average age of puberty dropped from 11 years to 9 years 9 months over 15 years in Denmark【8】.
Similarly, endocrinologist Niels Jørgensen reported that sperm quality in healthy men has halved in just 50 years, stressing that “such a rapid decline cannot be genetic—it must be environmental.”【9】
Endocrine Disruptors: The Hidden Culprit
Plastics such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) act as endocrine disruptors, altering hormonal balance during critical stages of human development【10】.
Fertility: Today, 15% of couples experience fertility problems, and 10% of births in developed countries result from medically assisted procreation【11】. The global fertility services market was valued at $33.1 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $78.2 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 11%【12】.
Foetal exposure: Thyroid deregulation in mothers—caused by chemical exposure—has been linked to impaired brain development in children, with consequences such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorders【13】.
Cancer risk: Breast cancer incidence has nearly tripled over the past century, rising from 1 in 22 women to 1 in 7, a trend partly attributed to endocrine disruptors【7】.
Dr. Barbara Demeneix, endocrinologist at the Paris Museum of Natural History, has called this phenomenon a “toxic cocktail”, warning that it may contribute to a global regression in human intelligence【14】.
The Scale of the Plastic Problem
The plastics and rubber market continues to expand at alarming rates. In 2023, the global market was valued at over $614 billion, and it is projected to surpass $750 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of around 3%【15】. This expansion means more plastic waste, more chemical byproducts, and greater exposure to humans and ecosystems.
The most dangerous uses remain food packaging, plastic films in contact with fats, and bottles exposed to heat【16】. Most of the water we drink or food we eat are actually distributed in plastic packaging and even our friendly Tupperware can be a serious threat to our health.
Despite the global public health problems, no one seems to really care and in low incomes countries we observes the most dangerous behaviours around the topic such as hot food served in street directly into plastic or alcohol sold into plastic bottles.
Even in the richest countries, the link between the use of plastic products and the impact on health spending is not yet clearly established despite the bundle of clues and diseases of all kinds that it can lead to. Scientists lack the means to finance their studies and the industry systematically refutes the conclusions because of the colossal economic stakes.
Scientists increasingly describe humanity as part of a “giant uncontrolled experiment” with unknown but potentially disastrous long-term outcomes【17】.
What About Africa and low income countries ?
Despite being one of the most vulnerable regions, Africa remains largely absent from global microplastic studies. Urban centers face high levels of pollution, but there is little local expertise or laboratory capacity to measure exposure. We also observed that the situation is quite similar in South East Asia.
This lack of data masks what could already be a significant health crisis. Africa is indeed known for its difficulty in meeting quality standards and its inability to control substances dangerous to health present in local productions or imports.
Coupled with a plethora of bad habits well embedded in everyday life as mentioned above, Africa is a no-Mans-land where we do not understand either the issues related to microplastics, nor the impact on health, nor on economic damage.
While fertility rates remain higher in Africa than elsewhere, endocrine disruptors represent a long-term threat to reproductive health and child development.
Dr. John Nkengasong (Africa CDC) has emphasized: “Africa cannot afford to be a passive observer. We must build our own evidence base on environmental health threats like plastics.”【18】
However, pre-plastic habits still exist in several communities and could be brought up to date without huge investments. These include, for example, hot dishes served in leaves, the use of glass or clay containers and ancestral or ancient practises to be rehabilitated.
Preventive Solutions : What Can Be Done ?
To avert a full-scale crisis, urgent steps must be taken:
Reduce exposure : Limit the use of products with microplastics and endocrine disruptors, particularly for mothers and children.
Raise awareness : Launch national platforms and public campaigns about microplastic risks.
Early screening : Offer fertility and developmental consultations to identify high-risk individuals and couples.
Promote alternatives : Support innovation in biodegradable packaging and encourage a return to safer, pre-plastic practices in sensitive use cases.
Support global initiatives : Back efforts like the Global Plastic Action Partnership, which promote systemic reductions in plastic waste【19】.
A Threat to the Survival of the Humanity ?
Microplastics and endocrine disruptors may represent the next great global health crisis. From fertility decline to cognitive impairment, the evidence suggests that plastics could threaten not just individual health, but the survival of humanity itself.
As Professor Tina Kold Jensen, eco-epidemiologist, stated: “The environment we create for our children shapes their brains, their fertility, and their future. The stakes could not be higher.”【13】
The question is clear: Will governments act now, or will humanity wait until it’s too late to reverse this toxic experiment?
Sources 📚🔍📝
UNEP – Microplastics and Human Health Report (2022)
Environmental Science & Technology – Global Seafood Microplastic Study (2021)
American Chemical Society – Human Microplastic Ingestion Estimates (2022)
Nature Reviews – Microplastics in Human Organs (2023)
European Heart Journal – Plastics and Cardiovascular Risk Study (2023)
WHO – Endocrine Disruptors and Human Health Report (2022)
Ana Soto, Boston University – Estrogenic Plastics Research (2001–2022)
Anders Juul, Rigshospitalet – Early Puberty Studies (2005–2020)
Niels Jørgensen, University of Copenhagen – Sperm Decline Research (2000–2020)
EFSA – Bisphenol A & Phthalates Risk Assessment (2023)
ESHRE – Global Fertility Statistics (2022)
Fortune Business Insights – Fertility Services Market Report (2023)
Tina Kold Jensen – Environmental Hormones & Child Development (2018)
Barbara Demeneix – Toxic Cocktail, Paris Museum of Natural History (2019)
Statista – Plastics and Rubber Market Outlook (2023)
FAO – Food Packaging & Contamination Risk (2021)
Science – Plastics as Global Experiment Editorial (2022)
Africa CDC – Environmental Health Strategy (2023)
Global Plastic Action Partnership – Annual Report (2023)
Missing Data❓📉🔬
Regional fertility and infertility treatment costs in Africa.
Quantitative links between plastic exposure and infertility rates.
Comparative analysis of biodegradable vs. plastic food packaging impacts.
Economic burden estimates of plastic-linked diseases.
Public awareness surveys on plastic and fertility risks in Africa.