Plastic pollution is causing more than $1.5 trillion in health-related economic damage each year and is linked to illness and death throughout the human lifespan, according to a new review published in 'The Lancet' on Sunday.
Describing the issue as a 'plastics crisis', the authors stress that it is preventable with the right action. They call for science-backed and cost-effective policies, including strict regulation, enforcement, and financial incentives- modelled on past successes in reducing air pollution and lead exposure.
The findings have been released just as global efforts to forge a legally binding plastics treaty resume in Geneva.
The review warns that plastic pollution is a growing and serious threat to both human and environmental health.
It notes that plastic production has surged from 2 million metric tons in 1950 to 475 million tons in 2022, and could reach 1.2 billion tons by 2060.
Around 8 billion tons of plastic waste has accumulated globally, with most of it still polluting ecosystems due to its resistance to degradation. Fewer than 10% of plastics are ever recycled.
The study comes as representatives from more than 170 countries gather for the second phase of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2), which runs from 5 to 14 August in Geneva. The talks are seen as a critical opportunity to push forward a global treaty aimed at curbing plastic pollution.
The United States and Iran clashed at the United Nations on Monday over Tehran's nuclear programme and its ...
It's doubtful that Iran's proposal on resolving the two-month war will be accepted by President Donald Trump, an official source said,...
The death toll from a train collision near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta rose to 14 women on Tuesday (28 Ap...
Tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after a U.S. official said President Donald Trump was unhappy with a proposal from Tehran t...
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it want...
The United States and Iran clashed at the United Nations on Monday over Tehran's nuclear programme and its selection to be one of dozens of vice presidents at a month-long conference to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
It's doubtful that Iran's proposal on resolving the two-month war will be accepted by President Donald Trump, an official source said, dampening hopes for a resolution to the conflict that has disrupted energy supplies, fuelled inflation, and killed thousands.
The death toll from a train collision near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta rose to 14 women on Tuesday (28 April), with 84 people injured, after rescuers completed efforts to free passengers trapped in the wreckage, the state rail operator said.
The months-long disarmament process involving the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has made little tangible progress, Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın has said.
Disney+ has debuted Disney Animation’s Songs in Sign Language, a new collection of animated musical sequences reimagined in American Sign Language (ASL), released on 27 April to mark National Deaf History Month.
President Donald Trump said on Sunday Iran could telephone if it wants to negotiate an end to their two-month war. Tehran said the U.S. should remove obstacles to a deal, including its blockade of Iran's ports. Meanwhile Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives in St Petersburg for talks.
Market reaction to DeepSeek’s preview of its next-generation artificial intelligence model has been relatively subdued, in sharp contrast to the global shock triggered by its breakthrough releases last year.
Adidas shares rose after Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe delivered a historic performance at the London Marathon on Sunday (26 April), becoming the first athlete to run an official marathon in under two hours.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said Iran can contact the United States directly if it wishes to negotiate an end to the conflict between the two countries, now in its second month.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Communities in Mexico have taken to the streets to protest against an ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed wildlife and damaged coral reefs over several weeks.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the Earth’s climate system is becoming increasingly unstable, with new evidence showing a growing imbalance in how the planet absorbs and releases energy.
China is preparing for a year of extreme weather in 2026, with authorities warning the country could face both severe flooding and widespread drought, underscoring mounting climate pressures.
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