A new report published in the medical journal The Lancet finds that plastic pollution is costing the world at least $1.5 trillion a year in health-related bills. Dr. Philip Landrigan, one of the authors of the report, joins CBS News to explain the findings.

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A report published in The Lancet has found that global plastic pollution is responsible for at least $1.5 trillion in health-related costs each year. The study highlights that 8,000 megatons of plastic waste currently pollute the planet, with less than 10 percent being recycled. Plastic production is projected to triple by 2060, further exacerbating health and environmental risks.

The report outlines how plastics, made predominantly from fossil fuels, contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Microplastics and toxic chemicals from plastics have been linked to cancer, developmental harm, endocrine disruption, and reduced fertility. Experts are urging world leaders to agree on a global cap on plastic production and stricter controls on toxic chemicals as part of an upcoming United Nations treaty negotiation.

Plastic pollution responsible for $1.5 trillion a year in health costs

Officials from 179 countries that belong to the United Nations are preparing to meet in Geneva, Switzerland, tomorrow for a new round of talks on the world's first global plastics treaty. The meeting comes as a new report highlights the health and financial burdens of increased global plastic pollution. The report, published in the medical journal The Lancet, finds that plastic pollution is costing the world at least one and a half trillion dollars a year in health-related bills. It also found that 8,000 megatons of plastic waste currently pollute the planet. Now, despite that high amount, the report found that less than 10 percent of the world's plastic is being recycled. Researchers say plastic production is, in fact, on track to triple by the year 2060. Dr. Philip Landrigan is one of the authors of that report, and he joins us now. He's a pediatrician and an epidemiologist. He's also the director of the Global Observatory on Planetary Health at Boston College, the right person to talk to you about all this. And, Doctor, thanks so much for being with us. Health-wise, how does plastic— My pleasure. Thank you. I'm sorry? I said thank you. It's good to be here. I'm very glad to have you with us. I mean, this is such an important topic. When we look at those staggering numbers health-wise, how does plastic pollution compare to air and lead pollution? And what are the major health risks here? So plastic pollution has been something of a sleeper. It's not as obvious as air pollution. It's not as obvious as climate change. But it's been building over the past three or four decades. And it's finally in maybe the past four or five years that we've come to realize that plastic pollution, just like air pollution, just like lead, has a whole range of negative effects on human health. And it affects human health across the whole plastic life cycle. I would imagine that plastic and climate is connected in some way here. How are they related in the two crises? And do the two have to be addressed at the same time? And how do you make that approach? They're certainly connected. Ninety-nine percent of plastic is made from fossil fuels, from gas, from oil and from coal. So they're connected in their origin. They're also connected in that plastic production is very energy intensive. It releases 2.4 gigatons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere each year. And so it's an important contributor to climate change. It contributes as much greenhouse gas as Russia or Brazil. I know you were talking about the major health risks, doctor, that you're seeing from all this. But, I mean, it's just remarkable. You're hearing $1.5 trillion a year in health-related bills because of plastic pollution. What do people not even realize about what they're seeing in their own bodies? So plastic gets into our bodies in several ways. Firstly, when plastic breaks down in the environment, it breaks down into what are called microplastic and nanoplastic particles. Invisible particles that contaminate the ocean, the waterways, the food supply. And they get into our bodies through food, through water, through the air that we breathe. And then on top of that, plastics contain at least 16,000 different chemicals. Some of these chemicals are very toxic and cause cancer, can cause injury to the developing brain of a child in the womb. Can disrupt endocrine function. Can reduce human fertility. And because of the diversity of chemicals in plastics, plastics are responsible for a whole suite, a whole ensemble of negative health effects in people of all ages. And, Dr. Landrigan, we talked about that meeting tomorrow in Geneva. What do you hope that world leaders meeting there take from that report? What has to be done to address this on a global level? So, globally, I think the people from the nations around the world who are going to be gathering in Geneva have to recognize that plastic is... And they have to write a treaty to come together and agree upon a treaty that protects health. And if they want to achieve that goal, there are two key provisions. Firstly, there needs to be a global cap. Some kind of limitation on plastic production. Plastic production right now is on track to double by 2040, to triple by 2060. That is simply not sustainable. We have to slow that down. And hence, we need a cap. Secondly, we need to do something about those 16,000 chemicals that are in plastic. They include some very bad actors, cancer-causing chemicals, endocrine disruptors and others. And many have just never been tested at all for toxicity. And those chemicals are in the bodies of every American, and they're causing harm to health. That's an untenable situation, and it needs to be controlled. And, of course, the treaty needs to be adequately financed. It needs to be properly governed. But the big ones are the plastic cap and doing something about the toxic chemicals. All right, Dr. Philip Landrigan, we really appreciate it. Thank you so much for your time.

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