The most recent United Nations talk to address plastic pollution and production has, so far, failed to reach an agreement. However, a recent study from Environmental Science & Technology Letters shows how transformative a drop in plastic pollution could be, especially for breast cancer.
“We recognize the multidimensional importance of the UN Treaty to reduce plastic pollution,” the authors of the new analysis wrote. “Here we argue that the treaty could specifically have a major impact on reducing breast cancer globally. We encourage scientists and policymakers involved in this effort to prioritize potential breast carcinogens to decrease the burden of cancers.”
This study focused on the chemicals that are known risk factors for breast cancer (noted as BCRCs). These chemicals either induce tumors in breast tissue or have endocrine-disrupting effects. Researchers found 920 of these chemicals, almost half of which (414) are commonly found in plastics.
Based on risk factor and severity, researchers highlighted 175 BCRCs in plastics for the UN to regulate and reduce.
“By prioritizing chemicals that increase breast cancer risk, the UN treaty could have a big impact on reducing exposure to substances that are likely contributing to a disease that overwhelmingly impacts women around the world,” Ruthann Rudel, research director at Silent Spring Institute and co-author of the new analysis, said in a statement.
