‘Microplastics’ in water and food can accelerate cancer
TINY pieces of plastic ingested in food and water can cause cancer to spread at a faster rate in the body, research has found.
Around 500 million tons of plastic were produced globally last year, including synthetic “fast fashion” garments, which include 16,000 component chemical ingredients.
Many of these have been linked to decreased fertility, heart disease and endocrine disruption. But an alarming study has revealed cancer cells become more aggressive after contact with micro or nanoparticles of plastic. These can be ingested through fish or other seafood, or drunk in water.
Professor Lukas Kenner, deputy director of the Clinical Institute for Pathology at Vienna University, found plastic particles were transferred between cells during division and remained present for an extended period of time. He said more testing is needed but added if plastics do play a key role in the origins of early-onset cancer, “the worst is yet to come” as production of plastics and their environmental build-up are escalating. Unborn children are seen as being at the greatest risk as studies have shown that microplastics present in a mother’s placenta can be transferred to embryos.
Professor Kenner said: “The study’s findings show that plastic not only resides in tumour cells, but also accelerates the outgrowth of these cells,”
“The evidence we have already on plastic’s health impact is startling and requires the immediate attention of policymakers globally. This research scares me – and I hope it scares others too. Governments and businesses must fund research into the impact of plastic on human health and work to eradicate this dangerous pollutant from our daily lives.”
He presented his findings at a conference in Ottawa, Canada, where guidelines on plastics and their impact on health were drawn up.
The Plastic Health Council – a group of scientists and campaigners – want a treaty which reduces production volumes of plastics, a ban on all but essential single-use items, and strict testing of all chemicals used in plastic manufacturing.
Jane Martin, boss of environmental charity City to Sea, said: “Professor Kenner’s research has helped uncover more of the truth: plastic could kill us. This Government, or the next, must ban all unnecessary single-use plastics and cap production. The health of the country depends on it.”