Abigail Hogan and Alexander Steinbach, Staff Editors, Vermont Journal of Environmental Law
This post is part of the Environmental Law Review Syndicate (ELRS).
I. The History of Plastic Production
Typically, when a new product comes on the scene, it takes several generations to evaluate its use and environmental impact. However, synthetic plastics really only began to take over around 50 years ago, and we’re already seeing a movement to ban, or at least drastically reduce, the material. Why has plastic made such a splash in so little time?
Plastic was originally developed from cellulose, or plant material. But in 1907, the first fully synthetic plastic was created.[1] The difference between these two materials is that plastics made from plant material can actually break down, whereas synthetic plastic will only ever break into smaller pieces.[2] In fact, “EPA reports that ‘every bit of plastic ever made still exists.’”[3] Today, plastic and rubber are formed by polymers consisting of smaller units known as monomers.[4] A vast majority of monomers are produced from petroleum and is therefore non-renewable.[5] Around 4% of the world’s oil consumption is used as raw material in plastic production, and a similar amount is used as energy in the production process.[6] In addition to the use of petroleum, plastic production requires the use of additives.[7] A few chemical additives are: plasticizers, flame retardants, heat and UV stabilizers, biocides, pigments, and extenders.[8] Several common additives are classified as hazardous according to the E.U. regulations and are classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, harmful for reproductive health, harmful to aquatic life, or having persistent negative impacts on the environment.[9]
This first plastic was used for electrical insulation, but it sparked a revolution in materials. New plastics were continuously developed for a multitude of uses, particularly as World War II necessitated more military uses. Not long after, 1960 was the first-time plastic was noticed as a concern when seen in ocean pollution.[10] Besides polluting the ocean, plastics have negative health impacts on humans and the environment. Plastics harm human health because they release toxic chemicals throughout the life cycle of the product.[11] However, because experimental studies exposing humans to environmental contaminants are not allowed, it is difficult to establish indisputable causal relationships between exposure to the chemicals and adverse effects in humans.[12] In addition, the detrimental effects and disease produced from plastic exposure takes decades to produce adverse effects in human health.[13] In some instances, it may even take generations before disease manifests itself in the human population.[14] This makes pinpointing the exact chemical causing the disease difficult. However, there is overwhelming evidence that exposures to anthropogenic chemicals contribute to adverse effects in animals.[15]
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