India, Aug. 19 -- In 2025, it is no longer up for debate: Plastics are polluting our planet - and our bodies. Microplastic fibres have been found in our lungs, breast milk, food, air, and oceans. Plastics are no longer just an environmental nuisance; they've become a public health crisis. Over 16,000 chemicals are used to manufacture plastics, most of which are unregulated and untested. More than 4,000 are already flagged as hazardous to human and environmental health. These have been linked to a wide range of illnesses - cancers, hormonal disruption, heart conditions, infertility, autoimmune diseases, and more.

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, released on August 4, estimates that plastics cause disease and death across all a...