The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics

Launched in August 2025, the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics is an independent global monitoring initiative that tracks the health impacts of plastics throughout their entire life cycle.

Plastic production is rising exponentially and is expected to double by 2040. Limited recycling and long-lasting persistence in the environment are driving the rapid escalation of plastic pollution, leading to increased health risks. With an estimated eight billion tons of plastic now contaminating the planet, and production still rising, the consequences for people and ecosystems are severe. Plastic pollution contributes to disease and premature death across all ages, with disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities. The international research collaboration- Plastic Countdown aims to document global plastic contamination, its health consequences, and measures to counteract it.

The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics is an international initiative dedicated to systematically tracking and reporting on the global crisis of plastic pollution.

Building on the model of the influential Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, this collaborative effort brings together leading scientists to study and document:

Worldwide scale of plastic waste contamination
Far-reaching impacts of plastics on human health and planetary systems
Evidence-based strategies to mitigate its harmful effects

Supported by Heidelberg University, Boston College (USA), the Centre Scientifique de Monaco, and the Minderoo Foundation in Australia, the initiative is co-chaired by Prof. Dr. Joacim Rocklöv, Director of Hei-Planet, and Prof. Philip Landrigan, MD, Director of the Global Observatory on Planetary Health at Boston College.

“We show how serious the health impacts of plastic pollution and contamination already are – and what consequences threaten if decisive action is not taken,” “We will supply independent data based on which decisions can be taken to promote public health,” Prof. Dr Joacim Rocklöv, Heidelberg University (Hei-Planet) and Co- Director of the countdown.

“We also take a wider perspective and look at the convergence of plastic pollution with other global threats to health, such as mosquito-borne diseases and antimicrobial resistance,” Dr. Marina Treskova, Heidelberg University (Hei-Planet) and Co-Lead of the working group on health impacts of the countdown.

Initially, the Countdown will focus on identifying indicators in four domains relevant to plastics and human health:

Emissions: monitoring, and where possible, quantifying, hazardous emissions to the environment across all stages of the plastic life cycle.

Exposures: monitoring environmental and biological concentrations of plastics, plastic chemicals, and micro- and nanoplastics.

Health Impacts: tracking the direct health effects of plastics (macro, micro and nano),plastic chemicals, and plastic-related pollutants across the plastic life cycle.

Interventions and Engagement: tracking interventions and engagements across the plastic life cycle that have potential to affect exposures and human health, and the activities that enable these interventions, as well as monitoring public engagement with the health impacts of plastic pollution.

A devestating shot of plastic waste in the ocean. Water Pollution.

Co-director, the Lancet Countdown on Health and plastics

Prof. Dr. Joacim Rocklöv

Prof. Joacim Rocklöv is a globally recognized expert in climate change, infectious diseases, and data science. As Director of the Heidelberg Planetary Health Hub and Chair of the Climate-Sensitive Infectious Diseases Group (CSIDlab) in Heidelberg University, he leads cutting-edge research to advance health surveillance, pandemic preparedness, and data-driven solutions to global health challenges. He co-directs the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics. joacim.rockloev@uni-heidelberg.de