Plastics and Human Health: What the Latest Research Reveals | NYU Langone Health

Plastics are everywhere. From the deepest ocean to the highest mountain, their impact on human health is only beginning to be fully understood. At NYU Langone Health’s Plastics, Human Health, and Solutions Symposium, leading experts shared urgent findings on how microplastics and plastic chemicals affect reproductive health, fibroid growth, childhood development, and even cancer risk.

✨ Highlights from the Symposium:

• 350,000 deaths globally each year are linked to plastic exposure
• Microplastics are found in fish, shellfish, plants, and even the food we eat daily
• Evidence connects plastic exposure to fibroid growth and impaired reproductive health across the life course
• Early life stages—fetal development, childhood, adolescence—are especially vulnerable to plastics’ harmful effects
• Researchers are among the first to study links between plastics and cancer
• Patients can reduce risk with simple steps: avoid microwaving plastics, choose natural cookware, and read product labels
• Real change requires policy, systemic action, and industry collaboration

📌 Chapters:
00:28 - The Global Impact of Plastic Exposure
01:00 - Linking Plastics to Human Health
01:37 - Why systemic and policy change is essential
02:06 - The role of collaboration across disciplines

This symposium brought together scientists, clinicians, and policymakers with one shared mission: to build a healthier, safer future.

🔎 Learn more about the Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards:

https://med.nyu.edu/centers-programs/...

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