Plastic is a paradox. It is at once the signature material of our age and also one of the greatest environmental and health threats we now face. Its production drives climate change, releasing massive quantities of greenhouse gasses, and during its use and degradation it releases an uninterrupted flow of chemicals and microplastics. Plastics and their additives have been found in every corner of the ecosystem, including human blood, lungs, and all three sides of the placenta. But what is it doing there? It may be too soon to know precisely, but by looking at animal models and the known toxic effects of plasticizing chemicals, researchers can tell us a lot.

Join Beyond Plastics at 7:00 pm ET US on Thursday, January 12 when pediatrician and toxicologist, Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, will summarize what we know, what we don’t know, and what researchers strongly suspect about the impact of plastics on human health and future generations.

LWVPA is now an affiliate of Beyond Plastics, a nationwide project based at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont, that pairs the wisdom and experience of environmental policy experts with the energy and creativity of grassroots advocates to build a vibrant and effective movement to end plastic pollution.