JOIN US

PLASTICS

CNEHJ is in the fight to mitigate the health impacts of plastics.

WebinarsTake ActionJoin Us

Plastics

REDUCING PLASTICS, REDUCES FOSSIL FUEL DEMAND

  • 80% of litter is plastic
  • In 2022, more than 600 billion plastic bottles will be produced
  • 50% of plastic products are single use and tossed after a few minutes of use
  • A plastic bag has an average working life of 15 minutes
  • Less than 9% of plastic gets recycled
  • 1 million marine animals are killed by plastic pollution every year
  • Packaging accounts for 40% of plastics
Sea turtle swimming over seabed covered in plastic trash

From extraction to disposal, plastic pollutes our communities and our environment.

hand full of plastic pieces at the beach

What’s the Deal with Microplastics?

Microplastics:

  • Are fossil fuel derived
  • Are plastics less than 5mm in size
  • Are added to products like cosmetics, detergents, paints, pesticides, and synthetic sports fields
  • Are nearly impossible to remove once released into the environment
  • Are harmful to biodiversity
  • Can carry multiple contaminants and hazardous chemicals
  • Can get into the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink
  • Have been found in human tissue

The environmentalist organization, “Rethink Plastics,” has several suggested ways how we, individually and as a society, can reduce our plastic footprint:

  • Stop purchasing single-use plastic items and instead reuse and recycle
  • Make manufacturers responsible by design by instead using plant-based formulations and other non-fossil fuel derived formulations.
  • Support policies that support eco-design
  • Improve plastic recycling – improve collection, monitoring, and discourage the use of virgin plastic in manufacturing

MADE SAFE and the Plastics Coalition developed this Healthy Pregnancy Guide to make it easy for expecting parents to:

  • Learn about the toxic chemicals found in plastics and other common items
  • Find tips to reduce plastic use during pregnancy
  • Gather ideas to avoid other common toxic chemicals
  • Get safe product recommendations

The guide contains a wealth of useful information and for ease of use is organized by areas of your home and your daily routine, including:

  • Kitchen & diet
  • Cleaning & laundry
  • Bathroom
  • Personal care
  • Household
  • Outdoors
  • Self care