Experts discuss global impacts of plastics at New Haven forum

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Top experts from all across the country have gathered at New Haven’s Hotel Marcel for two days to discuss the global impact of plastics.

It’s an important environmental and medical issue, but the forum also brought attorneys general from five different states to ask important questions.

“What can we do to confront this crisis of plastic and plastic waste that’s ending up in landfills, in our oceans, and frankly that’s ending up in our bodies?” Connecticut Attorney General William Tong (D) said.

When those plastics get into our bodies, they can cause issues. Scientists are also seeing a global change away from communicable diseases to impacts from those microplastics.

“Things that are non communicable diseases, things that you don’t get from a mosquito,” said Tracey Woodruff, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco. “But, what we also know are the risk factors for the global burden of disease comes from corporate-produced products.”

For years, we’ve been told the plastics that we use get recycled, but recently, experts have said just how little of our plastic actually gets recycled.

“That a very small percentage, if not in the single digits, very small percentage of the plastic that we use gets recycled,” Tong said.

His colleague, the attorney feneral of California, just filed a lawsuit against Exxon. The oil company produces a key component in plastic manufacturing. The suit claims the company misled the public about how easily that plastic can be recycled.

The experts said our choices matter. Avoid plastic water bottles. Cut up fruits and veggies yourself instead of buying those containers in the store. And try to avoid plastic in other parts of your life, as well.

“Think about using natural fibers, natural products in natural ways because the earth has been around for a long time, and it’s going to be around long after we’re gone,” Leslie Shor, a University of Connecticut professor, said.

Plastics manufacturers said food packaging helps lower food waste, and that they’re working on more advanced recycling techniques.

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