Frequently Asked Questions on Plastics and Chemicals

Plastics are a combination of carbon and chemicals — most of the which are petrochemicals, substances made from fossil fuels such as oil and gas. Different chemicals added to plastics provide a wide variety of properties to create the many kinds of plastic materials sold today

More than 13,000 chemicals are used in plastics of which more than 3,000 have been identified as toxic (often called “chemicals of concern” or “potential concern”). Of these toxic chemicals, almost one thousand used in plastics are linked to cancer, DNA mutations, or harm to reproduction, and more than one thousand are known to be toxic to the aquatic environment. Equally concerning, there are about 6,000 chemicals in plastics for which we have no safety information.

Plastic is everywhere, but that’s just a part of the story. Read the IPEN Plastics FAQs for a quick explainer on what plastic really is, how it’s made, the hazards throughout its lifecycle, and how a Plastics Treaty can protect people and the planet.

Source: Stop Poison Plastic

Consumers Association Penang

Frequently Asked Questions on Plastics and Chemicals