EEvery year, the world produces more than 400 million tons of plastic, enough to fill more than 1 million garbage trucks, but less than 10 percent of these products are recycled. The rest ends up in landfills. They litter our lands, oceans, and waterways. Alternatively, it can be burned in incinerators, which produce dioxins, a powerful carcinogenic chemical.
Initially, environmental research focused on the negative effects of plastic debris on aquatic animals and other wildlife. “But we now realize that we are all suffering the same effects,” says epidemiologist Leonardo Trasande, MD, professor of pediatrics at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, and Congressman Jim G. Hendrick, MD. “Functionally, we all have a Great Pacific Garbage Patch inside us.”
Dr. Trasande and other researchers at New York University Langone have played a leading role in sounding the alarm about the growing health effects of microplastics, the tiny pieces of plastic that we ingest or inhale, and the urgent need for better preventative measures. In a study, scientists found tiny pieces of microplastics and nanoplastics throughout the human body, including the brain and placenta, and showed that they contain a dizzying array of harmful compounds. Of the approximately 16,000 chemicals used in plastic materials, about 4,000 are known to be toxic, but researchers know little about the potential toxicity of the remaining 10,000 chemicals.
In a major research review published in The Lancet Child and Youth HealthDr. Trasande and two of his collaborators detailed how early exposure to chemicals in plastic products has consequences “from cradle to grave.” The review, which focused on three types of chemical additives, found that the toxins are linked to a wide range of health risks, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, neurological disorders and infertility. “We’re just scratching the surface of the larger problem, but we have enough information to act urgently,” says Dr. Trasande.
In another recent study published in Journal of the Endocrine SocietyDr. Trasande and his colleagues concluded that $250 billion in annual health care costs in the United States may be due to childhood diseases and disorders related to chemicals found in plastics. In another article, e-biomedicineHe and other researchers at New York University Langone modeled the global health impact of just one category of plastic chemicals: phthalates, which are used in personal care products and cosmetics and to soften vinyl chloride for food packaging. The research team concluded that the chemical additive likely contributes to 349,000 deaths a year from metabolic disorders in infants that can lead to early cardiovascular disease.
Many plastic chemicals disrupt hormones, the body’s signaling molecules that control everything from brain development to sexual reproduction. This is because hormones act at minute concentrations. Trazande likens them to “grains of salt in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.” Even the slightest interference can wreak havoc.
Similar to phthalates, bisphenol chemicals used to increase the stiffness of plastics can cause a variety of metabolic disorders by mimicking and inhibiting estrogen hormones in the body. Dr. Taraneh Shirajian, a minimally invasive gynecological surgeon and director of the Uterine Fibroid Care Center, said recent research has linked this fibroid disruption to estrogen-driven diseases such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and endometrial cancer.
Dr. Shirazian and his colleagues recently began a study to determine whether uterine fibroids, which are on the rise worldwide and can affect up to 80 percent of women by the age of 50, contain microplastics and chemicals. “We’re trying to see if we can find a correlation between environmental exposures and what we physically see inside the body,” she says. “If we can find correlations with what people do in their daily lives, we can change behavior and prevent disease and disease recurrence.”
A third class of dangerous additives are PFAS “forever” chemicals commonly used in nonstick frying pans and in the fibers of clothing such as raincoats, snowsuits, activewear, and swimsuits to repel heat, water, and grease. Research suggests that PFAS chemicals not only interfere with early growth and development, but also contribute to metabolic disease and testicular and kidney cancer.
In September 2025, the New York University Langone Center for Environmental Hazard Research, of which Dr. Trasande is director, held the 2nd Plastics, Human Health, and Solutions Symposium. The symposium was a full day of researchers, green companies, advocates, and other experts coming together to develop innovative solutions. One of the biggest takeaways from this symposium is that although plastics research is still in its infancy, scientists already have enough data to make meaningful changes in reducing health risks.
Dr. Trasande says a few simple changes can make a big difference. For example, people who avoid putting plastic food containers in the dishwasher or microwave, or replace them with glass or stainless steel containers, can significantly reduce their exposure to phthalates and bisphenols. Bisphenols are a common ingredient in the lining of cans, so consumers can reduce their exposure to bisphenols by limiting their intake of canned foods. Switching from nonstick pans to cast iron or stainless steel pans can minimize your exposure to PFAS chemicals. Dr. Trazande also recommends improving air filtration in your home to reduce exposure to airborne microplastic particles.
Progress at the policy level on plastic exposure has been slow, with negotiations on the United Nations’ Global Plastics Treaty, which could put a cap on production, temporarily stalled. Still, Dr. Trazande points out that several states, including New York, are taking aggressive regulatory steps to better address health concerns related to plastics.
For healthcare workers, plastic presents a paradox. They are critical components of life-saving equipment such as ventilators, IV and feeding tubes, and masks, but overuse of non-essential plastic products can contribute to harmful exposures. Dr. Trasande says the health system needs to be part of the solution. To this end, NYU Langone partners with nonprofit organizations such as Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm, sustainable healthcare organizations that promote environmentally friendly practices. “We can be leaders in protecting our patients in many ways,” says Dr. Trasande. “It’s not just about writing a prescription or performing a surgery. It’s about preventing harm.”
