Peer-reviewed papers

Background
The normal and intended use of plastic food packaging and other food contact articles (FCAs) leads to the migration of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) into food and beverages, resulting in human exposure. In 2022, we systematically assessed the state of science on this topic. However, at the time, reliable data on MNP release from FCAs into food were scarce, and since then, research has expanded significantly.

Objectives
We aim to update our dataset with the latest evidence of MNPs detected in foodstuffs in contact with plastic FCAs. To achieve this, we will systematically map the literature based on a Population, and Outcomes (PO) framework.

Search strategy and eligibility criteria
We will search Web of Science, PubMed, and Science Direct for combinations of search terms related to FCAs, packaging, foodstuffs/food simulants, plastic particles, and abrasion/release. Cited references from relevant reports will also be included. In a two-step screening process, we will apply predefined eligibility criteria to titles and abstracts of all references, followed by a screening of full texts.

Data extraction
According to defined data categories, we will collect information on types and characteristics of the FCAs, MNPs, food/food simulant, and the experimental design.

Synthesis and visualization
Results will be published as a narrative summary, and data in the freely accessible, filterable FCMiNo dashboard.

Objective
This narrative review examines the potential role of plastic-derived chemicals and micro- and nanoplastics in metabolic diseases. It applies the recently proposed key characteristics (KCs) for metabolism-disrupting agents to evaluate chemicals commonly found in plastics and microplastic and nanoplastic particles.

Methods
The KC framework, adapted from the KCs of toxicants originally developed for the identification of carcinogens, was applied to evaluate evidence from epidemiological, animal, and cellular studies. The review specifically evaluates compounds such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), bisphenol-S (BPS), and diisonyl phthalate (DINP), as well as emerging evidence relating to microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs).

Results
Evidence shows that exposure to chemicals derived from plastics, including PFOA, BPA substitutes (eg, BPS) and phthalate substitutes, is linked to metabolic dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, and MASLD. BPS and DINP exhibit properties consistent with metabolism-disrupting agents, suggesting they are “regrettable substitutes.” Although human data on MNPs are limited, animal and cellular studies indicate they may also contribute to metabolic diseases, though mechanisms remain unclear.

Conclusion
Rising exposure to chemicals in plastics poses significant risks to metabolic health. Identifying metabolic disruptors among thousands of plastic-associated chemicals is urgently needed. Increasing awareness and promoting the use of safer, inert, and reusable materials are essential steps to reduce health risks associated with plastic-derived pollutants and support more sustainable consumption.

Antimony (Sb) is a group 15 metalloid that is used as a catalyst in the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, a common food contact material (FCM). PET accounts for over 44% of single-use beverage packaging units and is also used in the production of food trays, storage containers, and other items. Due to its frequent co-occurrence with other metals, Sb is also a common contaminant in crystalware, ceramics, and metal FCMs. In light of the increasing use of Sb-containing FCMs in modern society, a thorough evaluation of Sb’s potential effect on public health is warranted since burgeoning evidence suggests it is linked to common cardiometabolic conditions, including dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Thus, this review aims to (i) perform a comprehensive systematic assessment of Sb migration from FCMs into foodstuffs and food simulants, (ii) obtain an overview of antimony-related health risks, and (iii) inform the generation of harm reduction guidelines at the individual and systems levels.

Background
Food contact chemicals (FCCs) are known to migrate from food packaging and other food contact articles into food. This leads to human exposure to FCCs, and some FCCs have been linked to human health effects such as chronic and non-communicable diseases. However, a systematic overview of the health effects of FCCs is missing.

Objectives
The objective of this study is to systematically map the relations between exposure to FCCs and human health effects within the Population, Exposure, Comparator, Outcomes, and Study Design (PECOS) framework.

Search strategy and eligibility criteria
We will search PubMed for combinations of search terms related to the identity of the chemical and the epidemiological study design. The references will be screened at the title-and-abstract level, followed by the full-text level. Eligible references will be included according to predefined criteria, further specifying the elements of the applied PECOS framework.

Data extraction and coding
Information on human exposure to FCCs will be collected and linked to human health effects according to previously defined data categories and standardized terms. The human health effects will be classified based on the Six Clusters of Disease (SCOD) framework.

Synthesis and visualization
Results will be published in a narrative summary, and data will be made available in a freely accessible interactive dashboard, the Food Contact Chemicals Health Effect Matrix (FCChelix).

• Reporting of micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) originating from food contact materials should follow guidelines for chemicals.
• MNP amounts should relate to surface area of plastic food contact material, not to volume of beverage.
• Determining sources of MNPs in foodstuffs requires specific study designs.
• All possible origins of MNPs must be considered, including processing equipment and contamination of raw ingredients.

Plastics are a grave, growing, and under-recognised danger to human and planetary health. Plastics cause disease and death from infancy to old age and are responsible for health-related economic losses exceeding US$1·5 trillion annually. These impacts fall disproportionately upon low-income and at-risk populations. The principal driver of this crisis is accelerating growth in plastic production—from 2 megatonnes (Mt) in 1950, to 475 Mt in 2022 that is projected to be 1200 Mt by 2060. Plastic pollution has also worsened, and 8000 Mt of plastic waste now pollute the planet. Less than 10% of plastic is recycled. Yet, continued worsening of plastics’ harms is not inevitable. Similar to air pollution and lead, plastics’ harms can be mitigated cost-effectively by evidence-based, transparently tracked, effectively implemented, and adequately financed laws and policies. To address plastics’ harms globally, UN member states unanimously resolved in 2022 to develop a comprehensive, legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, namely the Global Plastics Treaty covering the full lifecycle of plastic. Coincident with the expected finalisation of this treaty, we are launching an independent, indicator-based global monitoring system: the Lancet Countdown on health and plastics. This Countdown will identify, track, and regularly report on a suite of geographically and temporally representative indicators that monitor progress toward reducing plastic exposures and mitigating plastics’ harms to human and planetary health.

Plastics are composed of complex chemical mixtures, resulting in many chemicals being released during plastic’s life cycle, alongside a range of actual or potential impacts on human health and the environment. Many plastic chemicals also hinder technological solutions toward a safe and sustainable circular economy. Hence, there is broad agreement to address so-called plastic chemicals of concern, including under the Global Plastics Treaty. However, debate on how to identify such chemicals of concern is ongoing, particularly around whether their risk (and by extension, exposure) should be considered. In this perspective, we provide a review of the difficulties associated with understanding human and ecosystem exposure to and risks from plastic chemicals. Based on this, we highlight benefits of applying a hazard-based approach for identifying plastic chemicals of concern in a timely manner, and argue that additional consideration of exposure/risk would result in unjustified and costly delays, complications, and uncertainties, and therefore should not be required. A hazard-based approach to identifying plastic chemicals of concern would enable efficient action toward mitigating the impacts of plastics on human health and the environment, and facilitate a transition to a safe and sustainable plastics economy.

The unchecked rise in global plastic production has resulted in widespread pollution and exposure to hazardous chemicals. Over 16,000 chemicals are used across the plastics life cycle, with thousands meeting criteria for persistence, bioaccumulation, mobility and toxicity. Many remain unregulated under existing multilateral environmental agreements. In response, the United Nations Environment Assembly has mandated the development of an international, legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. Current treaty negotiations have begun addressing a short list of chemicals, yet significant gaps remain. These include insufficient regulatory mechanisms, lack of chemical transparency and reliance on ineffective recycling strategies that reintroduce toxic substances into consumer products. The presence of harmful chemicals in plastics contributes to major public health burdens and is an environmental threat, with high annual costs that reduce the potential for economic development through safer recycling. Vulnerable populations, including children, reproductive-aged individuals, and frontline communities, face heightened risks. To address this, we recommend the following three critical actions for the treaty: (1) globally regulating chemicals of concern based on hazard; (2) mandating transparency of plastic chemical composition and (3) designing plastics using safe-by-design principles and essential-use criteria. Group-based regulation, which would consider categories of related chemicals, should replace individual chemical approaches to prevent regrettable substitutions. Binding, global obligations, rather than fragmented or voluntary measures, are vital for sustainability, chemical safety, circularity and accountability across the plastics life cycle. A strong treaty is a critical opportunity to achieve a safer, more sustainable future for human and environmental health.

Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing global problem1,2,3,4. Chemicals in plastics are often not sufficiently considered in the overall strategy to prevent and mitigate the impacts of plastics on human health, the environment and circular economy5,6,7. Here we present an inventory of 16,325 known plastic chemicals with a focus on their properties, presence in plastic and hazards. We find that diverse chemical structures serve a small set of functions, including 5,776 additives, 3,498 processing aids, 1,975 starting substances and 1,788 non-intentionally added substances. Using a hazard-based approach, we identify more than 4,200 chemicals of concern, which are persistent, bioaccumulative, mobile or toxic. We also determine 15 priority groups of chemicals, for which more than 40% of their members are of concern. Finally, we examine data gaps regarding the basic properties, hazards, uses and exposure potential of plastic chemicals. Our work maps the chemical landscape of plastics and contributes to setting the baseline for a transition towards safer and more sustainable materials and products. We propose that removing known chemicals of concern, disclosing the chemical composition and simplifying the formulation of plastics can provide pathways towards this goal.

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on plastic pollution are United Nations member states who will convene for the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Geneva (INC5.2) 5-14 August, 2025 to negotiate a global plastics treaty. The Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty (‘The Scientists’ Coalition’) is an international network of independent scientific and technical experts who have been contributing robust science to treaty negotiators since INC1 in 2022. The Scientists’ Coalition established a series of working groups following INC5.1 in Busan, Korea 25 November – 1 December 2024. Each working group has produced science-based responses to the selected articles of ‘the Chair’s text’ (the latest version of the draft global plastics treaty text). This Letter to the Editor summarises those responses.