Plastic Soup Foundation
  • The issue
      • Plastic Soup
      • What is plastic?
      • Plastic in the environment
      • Harm to animals
      • Health effects
      • Regulations
      • Bogus solutions
      • Responsibilities
      • Sustainable development
      • Facts & Figures
  • What we do
      • Health
      • Microplastics
      • Education
      • Plastic Waste
  • How you can help
      • Consumer
      • Business
      • Community
      • Kids
      • At school
  • Solutions
  • News
  • Donate
  • NL
  • EN
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
You are here: The Issue What is plastic? Plastic additives & BPA

Plastic additives & BPA

To solidify plastic products, producers use reinforcing substances such as bisphenol A (BPA). To make plastic soft and flexible, producers use plasticizers such as phthalates. To make furniture and electronics less flammable, fire retardants are added to plastic during production. Altogether there are thousands of plastic additives used that consumers come into contact with on a daily basis. Some of these substances are harmful to health and are found in human urine and blood as a result of exposure.

BPA and Endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Bisphenol A (BPA) used in plastic and plasticizers are strongly suspected of disrupting our hormone balance. Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals is associated with around 80 diseases, including testicular cancer, obesity, and reproductive disorders. Unborn and young children are particularly vulnerable because their hormone system is still in development. As early as 2012, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the world about the possible carcinogenic properties of endocrine disruptors such as in its report State of the science of endocrine-disrupting chemicals; it concluded that these substances are a global threat to public health. Unfortunately, where BPA and other harmful additives are already banned, alternatives are used. It is feared that these alternative additives are just as (if not more) harmful to health because they belong to the same chemical group. There is a compelling need for an international approach. In 2018, Wemos, an independent civil society organization that aims to improve public health worldwide, presented a National Plan (in Dutch) to protect the Dutch population and future generations against large-scale exposure to and health effects from endocrine disruptive chemicals.

Flame retardants

Plastic is made from petroleum and therefore, burns well. To prevent plastic from burning too easily, flame retardants are added. These additives are used in various electronics and insulation materials, among other things. Flame retardants are toxic and do not break down easily in nature. When plastic burns in the open air, toxic dioxins are released.

Plastic products can be recycled into new products, but any additives from the old product end up in the new product because they cannot be removed during the recycling process most of the time. 95 Rubik’s Cubes made from recycled materials were examined in 2017. Of these, 90% contained toxic flame retardants from discarded electronic devices. Another study found brominated dioxins in toys. These products were also made from plastic from recycled plastic electronic waste that contained brominated flame retardants. Brominated dioxins are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that, among other things, affect the nervous system and hormone balance. They are also carcinogens.


Support our mission!

Join us

Go to

  • Plastic soup
  • What is plastic?
  • Plastic in the environment
  • Harm to animals
  • Health effects
  • Regulations
  • Bogus solutions
  • Responsibilities
  • Sustainable Development
  • Facts and figures

Read more

Monomers & Polymers

Plastic comes in all shapes and sizes, flexible or not, and is made of large molecules called polymers. Read more about the properties of plastic.

What are bioplastics?

What are bioplastics? The term itself is very confusing because there are different types of bioplastics, some biodegradable and some not.

Recycling codes

What do recycling codes and symbols mean and can plastic be recycled? Learn more about the recycling numbers and how much plastic is actually recycled.

Toxicity and pathogens

Plastic contains and carries pollutants and chemicals found in the environment. Plastic can also carry disease and bacteria. So how toxic is it?

About us

  • Frontrunners
  • Mission & Vision
  • Our People
  • Working with Us
  • Annual Reports
  • Inquiries Press
  • Newsletter

Our approach

  • Plastic Soup Angels
  • Funds & Partners
  • Ambassadors
  • Plastic Soup Awards
  • Plastic Soup Atlas
  • Facts & Figures
DONATE
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • LinkedIn

  • YouTube

  • Contact

 

© Copyright - Plastic Soup Foundation
  • Contact
  • Privacy policy
  • GDPR Consent Settings
Scroll to top

GDPR settings

This website uses some cookies which are placed on your device. Your web browser stores these cookies when you visit our Website: www.plasticsoupfoundation.org. These cookies will be retrieved when you visit or use our Website again. This allows us to recognise you as a previous visitor/user.

x
Settings

Your privacy and this website...

This website uses some cookies which are placed on your device. Your web browser stores these cookies when you visit our Website: www.plasticsoupfoundation.org. These cookies will be retrieved when you visit or use our Website again. This allows us to recognise you as a previous visitor/user.

Functional technology enables a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in. No personalised information is collected.

See details

This consent is used to track visitors across websites. The intention is to display ads that are relevant and engaging for the individual user and thereby more valuable for publishers and third party advertisers.

See details

This consent helps website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting.

See details
Forget my settings Settings have been forgotten