Study found that plastic in the oceans will one day weigh more than all fish in the sea (Image: Sebnem Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
It declared: "Uncertainties and knowledge gaps undermine a complete evaluation of health impacts, limit the ability of consumers, communities and regulators to make informed choices, and heighten both acute and long-term health risks at all stages of the plastic lifecycle." It cited particular concerns about "the health effects of the cumulative exposure to the mixtures of thousands of chemicals used in food packaging and other manufactured products". The report by groups including the US Center for International Environmental Law and Britain's Exeter University comes amid growing concerns about the impact of plastic pollution.
About eight million tons of plastic enter the sea worldwide every year and one study has predicted that by 2050 there will be more plastic by weight in the sea than fish.
Plastic in the sea breaks down into minute nanoplastic and microplastic particles which enter the food chain through plankton.
Larger pieces are also swallowed by fish, seabirds, turtles and whales, often filling their stomachs leading them to starve to death.
The Plastic & Health: The Hidden Costs Of A Plastic Planet report described plastic as "a global health crisis hiding in plain sight". It said the perils stem from exposure
