Heidelberg University has issued a press release regarding the official launch of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, which took place in Geneva on August 4, 2025.
The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics is a collaborative initiative aimed at systematically tracking and reporting on:
- The global scale of plastic waste contamination
- The impacts of plastics on human health and planetary systems
- Evidence-based strategies to mitigate the harmful consequences of plastic pollution
Following in the footsteps of the influential Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, this new effort is expected to catalyze urgent global action against plastic pollution.
“We show how serious the health impacts of plastic pollution and contamination already are – and what consequences threaten if decisive action is not taken”
Prof. Joacim Rocklöv, Co-Chair of Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics
The initiative unites leading experts from diverse fields—including global health, environmental science, chemistry, and public policy—to provide comprehensive and interdisciplinary research insights.
Representing Heidelberg University in this important international collaboration are Prof. Dr. Joacim Rocklöv and Dr. Marina Treskova from Heidelberg Planetary Health Hub (Hei-Planet).
For more information about Heidelberg University’s participation and the goals of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics, please read the official press release here: