In 2024, scientists examined the brains of deceased individuals. In one in four of these individuals, an average of 0.5% of brain weight consisted of... plastic. However, it is also found in testicles, bone marrow, umbilical cords, and placentas.
It is well known that plastic and microplastics are everywhere. Stack a million Eiffel Towers on top of each other and you will know how much plastic the world has produced since 1950: ten billion tonnes.
What is much less well known is that they also leak harmful substances. Plastic is full of additives with names like DeHP, bisphenols and 6PPD. These leak from PVC pipes into patients' blood, from plastic bottles in soft drinks, from sushi boxes, from colourful flip-flops with Minions, vinyl floors, children's mattresses, cuddly toys, and so on.
They are carcinogenic and can disrupt pregnancy and fertility. And through our waste, they end up everywhere. An Australian professor once called it “a form of toxic transgressive behaviour”.
With Lek, journalist Isabelle Vanhoutte is sounding the alarm: we have a big problem and we need to do something about it.
