India, March 12 -- Plastics are a common part of our daily lives, and they're found everywhere. The problem of plastics, which pollute the environment but do not degrade easily, is well-known. But two new research articles published in leading journals warn us that what we know may be only the tip of the iceberg.

The studies suggest that we are underestimating the impact of plastics on human health.

The raw materials for plastics primarily come from fossil hydrocarbons, and none of the common plastics are biodegradable. Instead, they accumulate in our environment, leading to concern over the near-permanent contamination of our natural world.

The United Nations reports that a staggering amount of plastic - over 430 million metric tons -...