Plastic is in the air

Every breath we take, every move we make – plastic’s watching us. It might sound like a riff on a classic song, but it’s a terrifying reality. In today’s world, plastic pollution is no longer confined to the oceans, beaches or landfills. It’s in the water we drink, the food we eat and even in the very air we breathe, and it’s sneaking into our lungs, one microplastic at a time.

Microplastics, those tiny fragments of plastic less than 5 millimeters in size, have infiltrated the air we breathe. A single-use plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to degrade, and rather than disappearing entirely, it breaks down into micro- and nanoplastics that linger in the environment.

But plastic bags are just the tip of the iceberg. Microplastics are introduced into the environment from a variety of sources, including cosmetics, synthetic clothing, industrial processes and single-use plastic packaging. The cosmetics industry, one of the fastest-growing markets, is a major contributor. Microplastics are often found not only in packaging, but also within product formulas, particularly in items like facial scrubs and cleansers.

The over-production of plastics globally is a direct contributor to this crisis. Plastic production is expected to triple by 2050 if no intervention is done. Even worse, only nine percent of all plastics ever made has been recycled. The rest? It’s either sitting in landfills, polluting our oceans or breaking down into microplastics that are now circulating in the air we breathe.

Closer to home, the air in Metro Manila isn’t immune to microplastics. A local research reveals the presence of microplastics in the city’s air. This comes as no surprise. In the Philippines, where companies aggressively market sachets, the absence of meaningful policies to curb plastic production has led to an estimated 164 million sachets consumed daily, on top of the long list of other single-use plastics produced by corporations. These single-use packets are convenient but harmful for the environment, affecting our biodiversity, livelihood and health.

The health impacts of microplastics entering our bodies are still being understood, but the preliminary findings are nothing short of alarming. Aside from our lungs, microplastics have been found in our blood, heart, breastmilk and even placentas. A potential health risk from micro- and nano-plastics is from the toxic chemicals present in plastic. Examples of chemical additives used in plastic are phthalates – known to be endocrine disruptors – which have been proven to affect human health.

The plastic crisis isn’t just a local problem – it’s a global emergency. As we celebrate the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, it’s crucial to recognize that the air we breathe should be free from pollution, including microplastics. Just as air knows no borders, the fight against plastic pollution must be a global effort. A strong and binding Global Plastics Treaty is essential to curb the production, use and disposal of plastics. We need international cooperation from world leaders to ensure that corporations are held accountable for their relentless plastic production, and that they drastically reduce their plastic production and switch to real, sustainable solutions like reuse and refill.

Much like we all breathe the same air, we – including the governments and corporations – share the same responsibility to protect it. If we want to continue taking deep, healthy breaths without the fear of inhaling plastics, we must invest in clean air now, and that includes transitioning from toxic single-use plastics to reuse and refill systems. As the final intergovernmental negotiation for the Global Plastics Treaty happens this November, let’s urge world leaders to champion a strong treaty that addresses this crisis head-on, ensuring that our lungs, our communities and our planet, are free from plastic pollution.

Because every breath counts, so does every action we take.

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Eunille Santos is the communications lead for the Plastic-Free Future campaign of Greenpeace Philippines.