Reducing single-use plastics & why it matters 

In another significant environmental milestone, the Biden Administration recently unveiled a strategy to eliminate single-use plastics in all federal operations by 2035. The plan also aims to halt federal purchases of plastic for food service, events, and packaging by 2027, marking the first comprehensive government-wide effort to tackle plastic pollution.

It is becoming increasingly clear that plastic nanoparticles, with embedded toxic chemicals like PFAS and BPA, are now ubiquitous in our environment, and are even found via human autopsy studies to contaminate all our critical organs, the same way particulate air pollution does. It is a genuine environmental and public health crisis. Big Oil corporations are seeing the writing on the wall that gasoline for transportation is being phased out.  So with a new ad campaign they are trying to convince the public that plastic (created from oil) is still great because you can recycle it. In fact, recycling of plastic is not happening on any meaningful scale, and will not happen, and we have as much reason to rid ourselves of plastic pollution as we do air pollution. The two issues are related because one of the components of air pollution (and water pollution) is plastic nanoparticles because they are also transported in the atmosphere, and are even found in raindrops and snowflakes.

As physicians committed to promoting public health, we understand the critical importance of this issue. Plastic pollution is not only an environmental crisis but also a major public health concern. Harmful chemicals such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which are prevalent in many plastic products, have become a focal point of our advocacy due to their widespread presence and severe health impacts. These substances are linked to numerous health problems, including cancer, immune system suppression, reproductive and developmental toxicity, and endocrine disruption.

Plastic pollution has vast environmental and public health impacts throughout its lifecycle, from fossil fuel extraction to microplastics contaminating our ecosystems. The federal government, as the largest buyer of consumer goods in the world, wields immense purchasing power. By reducing the demand for plastic products, this strategy has the potential to significantly influence the supply chain, encouraging a shift towards more sustainable alternatives.

Click here for more information and a list of PFAS free products.