From production to usage to disposal, it is a threat to those who come in its contact
“If you are here to set up a health camp, labourers from the plant will come in droves to get tested. There are many who suffer from skin and respiratory ailments,” says Rafeeq (name changed on request). Rafeeq has worked at the naphtha terminal of Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Haryana’s Panipat district for over a decade. Naphtha is a by-product of the petroleum refining process from which nearly all of the world’s plastic is made. “Over the past couple of years, I have developed an acute respiratory infection. As per the doctor, the likely reason is inhalation of toxic substances,” Rafeeq says.
Rafeeq’s is not an isolated case. In 2020, Satpal Singh, sarpanch of Singhpura Sithana village that houses the refinery, filed a case against the plant with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for polluting the groundwater, deteriorating the air quality and negatively impacting the health of people in nearby villages. A report submitted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute to NGT found the refinery to have affected health of more than 8,500 people between 2015 and 2019. Satnam Singh, the current sarpanch of the village, says the plant is an asset for the state and there was a lot of political pressure from the state government and the Centre to withdraw the case, which the village did in 2021.
Though the case stands withdrawn, it has brought attention to toxins associated with plastic throughout the material’s life cycle.
All plastics or polymers (large molecules) are formed by joining monomers (single molecules) through a process called polymerisation. During polymerisation, additives (such as colorants, fillers) and processing aids (such as catalysts, lubricants, solvents) are added to monomers to provide plastic the desired qualities, such as colour, flexibility, stability and strength. Overall, there are more than 10,500 substances used in making plastic, as per a 2021 paper in Environmental Science and Research (see ‘Shady beginnings’). The study shows that there are more additives and processing aids used in making plastic than monomers—the building blocks of plastic. About 55 per cent of the substances identified are categorised as plastics additives, 39 per cent as processing aids, and 24 per cent as monomers. What’s worse, about 30 per cent of the substances remain non-categorisable regarding their function due to a lack of information. This uncertainty is due to companies hiding their plastic manufacturing processes and substances to protect their trade secrets.
The number of chemicals used in the plastic industry is also constantly increasing. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of chemicals used by the plastic industry has gone up to 16,000, estimates a 2024 study by Plastchem Project, a group of researchers from Norway and Switzerland. Experts, however, believe that the actual number of chemicals used by the plastic industry across the material’s life cycle could be around 25,000.
Most of these substances are toxic. They include bisphenols (such as bisphenol A or BPA), per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, phthalates, brominated flame retardants and organophosphate flame retardants (see ‘Manufacturing hazard’).
Another set of chemicals that gets mixed with plastic is non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). Plastic products are made by melting and moulding the primary pellets. NIAS get added in this process and become a part of the polymer. They also enter the polymer during recycling or incineration. Since NIAS are unknown, their impacts, too, remain hidden.
This load of chemicals in plastic is a potential health hazard to all those who are exposed to them—from the manufacturing stage to usage to recycling.
To understand the pollution caused at the manufacturing stage, Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment, analysed health data of cities that house refineries. India has 21 petrochemical refineries spread across 13 states. The plastic industry works in tandem with the petrochemical industry, and since the feedstock (naphtha) for making plastics comes from the petrochemical industry, the two are often in close vicinity.
The presence of refineries has a clear health impact on its vicinity, shows the fifth National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019-21. The report shows that in eight of the 13 states that house a petroleum refinery, the incidence of acute respiratory infections in children under five years of age is higher in the district where the refineries are located (see ‘Clear connect’).
The health survey does not record data for skin-related diseases—a common problem reported by the workers and populations around the refinery in Panipat. Similar findings are also reported in many studies. A 2020 study published in Environmental Research, presenting a literature review of 23 scientific studies, says, “Living near petro-chemical industries is associated with a higher incidence of cancer.”
Since additives typically do not bind to the polymer matrix, they leach out as mobile components, entering the human body through inhalation (airborne particles released from plastic packaging materials can be inhaled), ingestion (through consumption of food stored in poor quality plastic containers) and dermal contact (absorption of chemicals through the skin).
Many studies have investigated the process of chemical leaching from plastic packaging materials into food, beverages and the environment. Research indicates that various factors could play a role in leaching. These include temperature of the food item stored (pouring hot liquid into a plastic container could result in leaching), pH value (acidic foods could react with plastic and cause leaching), and the duration of contact between plastic and the substance it contains.
Common additives in plastic packaging include BPA and phthalates. BPA is a known endocrine disruptor and has been associated with reproductive disorders, obesity and increased risk of cancers. Phthalates have been linked to hormonal imbalances, developmental abnormalities and adverse effects on reproductive health. Other additives found in plastics, such as antimicrobial agents and flame retardants, have been associated with neurotoxicity and immune system disruption.
While recycling is touted as a key solution, toxins from plastic pose a threat at this stage, too. A 2024 report by Toxic Links, a Delhi-based non-profit, says products made from recycled plastics contain harmful chemicals much beyond acceptable range. The study collected samples of products made from recycled plastics and bifurcated them into three categories—food contact applications, toys and miscellaneous applications. Testing was done for five kinds of chemicals—BPA, nonylphenol, chlorinated parraffins, phthalates and heavy metals. Ten of the 15 samples indicated the presence of the chemicals being tested; six of the 10 samples had presence of more than one chemical, and two of these had exceptionally high rate of chemical detection.
Apart from this, workers employed in plastic recycling can be directly exposed to carcinogenic metalloids such as arsenic, cadmium and chromium present in recycled plastic pellets via skin contact and through inhalation of contaminated airborne dust.
Negotiations to end plastic pollution across the world are being held under the aegis of the UN Envi ronment Programme (UNEP), but a few oil-, gas- and plastic-producing countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia and China, are blocking a robust treaty that also addresses the impact of plastic pollution on human health. However, several countries and groupings of nations have put systems in place to regulate the chemicals that are used in not just manufacturing plastics but in all kinds of products.
One such regulation is the EU’s Registration, Evaluation, Authori sation, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. REACH is a regulatory framework under which companies manufacturing or importing chemicals into the EU in quantities of one tonne or more per year are required to register those substances with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The registration process involves providing detailed information about the properties and uses of the chemicals, as well as data on their potential hazards. ECHA evaluates the information to assess the risks associated with the registered chemicals. Substances of very high concern (SVHCs), such as carcinogens, reproductive toxicants and mutagens may be subject to authorisation under REACH. Companies must obtain authorisation from ECHA to use or place these substances on the market, and their use may be restricted or phased out if safer alternatives are available. REACH also empowers the EU to impose restrictions on the manufacturing, placing on the market, or use of certain hazardous chemicals if they pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.
Individual countries that have rules to govern the use of chemicals, including those used in the plastic industry, include Australia, Japan, US, Canada, South Korea, China and Taiwan. Some of these are as comprehensive as REACH.
India is against any “cap/binding target for the reduction or phase out on the production of plastic polymers”, as per its submi ssion to UNEP in 2023. While it agrees to some upstream measures, like regulating the use of chemicals of concern in plastic production, it has stressed that plastic is a waste management problem, and that the treaty should focus on downstream measures like collection, proce ssing, energy recovery and disposal.
Though the country does not have a regulation identical to REACH, it has certain laws to govern the registration, evaluation and use of chemicals. The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989 is the key regulation. It requires registration of imported or exported hazardous chemicals, but is silent on the use of chemicals manufactured within the country. It also mandates safety measures to prevent accidents, as well as to minimise environmental and health risks. The Bureau of Indian Standards, which sets standards for various products, including chemicals, to ensure their quality, safety and performance, has not provided limits for chemicals used during production, use or recycling of plastic.
Data with the Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers shows 67 per cent of the petrochemical refining capacity in India is dedicated to production of plastics. The country needs a national level policy to regulate the manufactu ring industry. Standards for plastic used in food-contact applications are notified but there are no reporting or monitoring mechanisms. Standards for recycling plastics, too, exist, but need revisiting. Transparency is key in the sector. Non-disclosure of chemicals under the garb of trade secret needs to be stopped and may need the support of experts in the intellectual property rights domain.
This was first published in the 16-30 April, 2024 print edition of Down To Earth
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