Monclús L, Arp H P H, Groh K J, Faltynkova A, Løseth M E, Muncke J, Wang Z, Wolf R, Zimmermann L, Wagner M
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo, Norway.
Nature. 2025 Jul;643(8071):349-355. doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09184-8. Epub 2025 Jul 9.
Plastic pollution is a pervasive and growing global problem. Chemicals in plastics are often not sufficiently considered in the overall strategy to prevent and mitigate the impacts of plastics on human health, the environment and circular economy. Here we present an inventory of 16,325 known plastic chemicals with a focus on their properties, presence in plastic and hazards. We find that diverse chemical structures serve a small set of functions, including 5,776 additives, 3,498 processing aids, 1,975 starting substances and 1,788 non-intentionally added substances. Using a hazard-based approach, we identify more than 4,200 chemicals of concern, which are persistent, bioaccumulative, mobile or toxic. We also determine 15 priority groups of chemicals, for which more than 40% of their members are of concern. Finally, we examine data gaps regarding the basic properties, hazards, uses and exposure potential of plastic chemicals. Our work maps the chemical landscape of plastics and contributes to setting the baseline for a transition towards safer and more sustainable materials and products. We propose that removing known chemicals of concern, disclosing the chemical composition and simplifying the formulation of plastics can provide pathways towards this goal.
塑料污染是一个普遍存在且日益严重的全球性问题。在预防和减轻塑料对人类健康、环境及循环经济影响的总体战略中，往往没有充分考虑塑料中的化学物质。在此，我们列出了16325种已知的塑料化学物质清单，重点关注它们的特性、在塑料中的存在情况及危害。我们发现，多样的化学结构服务于一小部分功能，包括5776种添加剂、3498种加工助剂、1975种起始物质和1788种非故意添加物质。采用基于危害的方法，我们识别出4200多种值得关注的化学物质，它们具有持久性、生物累积性、流动性或毒性。我们还确定了15个化学物质优先组，其成员中超过40%值得关注。最后，我们审视了有关塑料化学物质基本特性、危害、用途及暴露可能性的数据缺口。我们的工作描绘了塑料的化学图景，并为向更安全、更可持续的材料和产品转型奠定基础。我们建议，去除已知的值得关注的化学物质、披露化学成分并简化塑料配方可为实现这一目标提供途径。
