Plastic particles in organs: Industry knew in 1974

In 1974, German researcher Gerhard Volkheimer presented the results of his animal studies in New York. He investigated what happens when animals ingest small particles of PVC, one of the most widely used types of plastic. The particles turned out to be able to pass through the intestinal wall and reach other parts of the body via the blood and lymphatic system, including the liver, lungs and brain.

 

The word ‘microplastics’ did not yet exist. Yet Volkheimer was already describing exactly the process that scientists around the world are now studying.

The documents show that his findings did not go unnoticed within the plastics industry. In May 1974, an executive at Firestone Plastics sent a report to the company’s director stating that PVC particles remained in various organs of laboratory animals. Shell also circulated the research findings internally.

 

A year later, a safety official at chemical company Union Carbide wrote that the research was regularly cited as a ‘horror story’ about swallowing PVC. He then pointed to older research intended to support the safety of PVC, in order to limit any damage to confidence in plastic food packaging. So the industry not only knew about the research, but also considered what it could mean for plastic sales.

Health authorities and other scientists, by contrast, paid little attention to Volkheimer’s work at the time. The 1974 meeting was dominated by another crisis: workers in PVC factories had developed a rare form of liver cancer through exposure to vinyl chloride, a raw material for PVC. In addition, Volkheimer published much of his work in German, which made it less well known internationally.

Microplastics have now been found in human blood, lung tissue, breast milk, placentas and brain tissue. Scientists are investigating what this means for our health. There are indications of links with inflammation, cancer and many other conditions, but the precise causal links and consequences have not yet been established. The American Chemistry Council, the US chemical industry association, stresses that the presence of plastic particles in the body does not in itself prove that they cause harm.

 

That is exactly why this story matters so much. While the early warning signs were ignored, global plastic production grew enormously. Nobody stopped the industry. The result: microplastics are now found almost everywhere, even in us.

We don’t need to wait until all the evidence is in before taking action. That is the lesson of this revelation. That’s why we advocate the precautionary principle: if there are serious indications of health risks, we should reduce exposure now. That means producing less plastic, tackling harmful substances at the source and providing honest information about what is in products.

 

You can also start closing your own ‘plastic tap’. Choose products without plastic, and scan your personal care products and clothing with the free PlasticFreeFuture app. That way, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re using and wearing.

 

Source: Los Angeles Times, Susanne Rust, 26 October 2026, “Industry executives knew for decades that microplastics were infiltrating the human body”.