Plastics: Versatile? Yes. Problematic? Also Yes.

We know that plastics can be durable, long lasting, and financially cost effective. We’re also acutely aware that the sheer versatility of plastics used for an overabundance of applications is an issue that has made plastics environmentally problematic.

Annually, over 300 million tons of plastics are produced and about 14 million tons of plastics refuse ends up in our oceans. That accounts for roughly 80 percent of all marine debris.¹ The profusion of plastic products found in consumer, commercial, and industrial markets makes plastics waste one of the biggest issues facing the planet today. Plastic pollution has permeated both natural and built environments, leading to significant concerns for its impact on human health, degradation of ecosystems, and an alarming toll taken on marine species—including those that once enriched our diets.

As noted in the abstract Detection and characterisation of microplastics and microfibres in fishmeal and soybean meal “…farmed Atlantic salmon may be exposed to a minimum of 1788-3013 anthropogenic particles from aquaculture feed across their commercial lifespan.” Fishmeal and soybean meal contain plastics among other manufactured pollutants.² With plastics found in our environment and food supply, perhaps it goes without saying that microplastics are found in the human body. While scientific data can vary depending on the human control group, one study estimates that humans ingest the equivalent of a credit card—or about 5 grams—of microplastics each week. Concerns are being raised about the migration of these microplastics in our gut to other organs in our bodies.³

The construction industry is reported to account for 20% of global plastics consumption and an astounding 70% of all polyvinyl chloride (PVC) usage annually. Additionally, production and utilization of plastics are increasing at an alarming rate; between 1950 and 2017, approximately 8.3 billion tonnes of virgin plastics were generated worldwide. Furthermore, projections indicate that global plastics output is likely to double by 2050.⁴

While bioplastics—a term that lacks standardization and includes bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics—are intended to mitigate the need for petroleum-based plastics, actual biodegradable plastic makes up only about one percentage of world plastics production. And while biodegradable plastics break down faster than petroleum-based plastics, their true biodegradability remains in question.⁵

Petroleum-based plastics commonly used in construction products are not biodegradable. Research indicates that once introduced into the environment, plastics pollution is remarkably enduring, with breakdown times ranging from 100 to over 1,000 years, contingent upon environmental conditions.⁶ Product breakdown, however, does not equal biodegradability. When these plastics break down, they release toxic chemicals and carcinogens into the environment. Depositing plastics waste in landfills allows these harmful substances to leach into the soil, air, and waterways. Polluted waterways destroy habitats, threatening the lives of aquatic species, and have the potential to contaminate aquifers as well as local municipal water supplies. Incinerated plastics release pollutants directly into the air and further create an ash byproduct that is generally disposed of in landfills.

The prevalence of petroleum-based plastics in construction poses significant environmental challenges. These materials, while integral to modern building practices, present severe ecological risks due to their non-biodegradable nature and the harmful chemicals they release upon breakdown. The persistence of plastics pollution necessitates innovative solutions to mitigate its impact on public health and the environment.

When addressing the Common Materials Framework or working to meet the AIA Materials Pledge, product selection for some spec sections is a daunting undertaking as the table above illustrates. To keep forward momentum toward a healthier future, the Materially Better team suggests focusing on large impact products for healthier buildings (e.g., choose mechanical fasteners over chemical adhesion everywhere possible to reduce the impact on human health from VOCs released into the air).

Our ever-expanding Red2Green (R2G) product library offers more than 26,000 product records—each containing information for vetting and comparing essential construction products. APIs with Living Future (Declare and Living Product certifications), the Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDs), and Carbon Leadership Forum (EPDs for tracking embodied carbon) as well as our own scoring system based on human health criteria, make the R2G product library the only construction product database of its kind. Our sustainability consulting services—supported by our R2G project management and healthier materials management platform—provide invaluable product data, sustainability scores, and materials reporting for owners, architects, engineers, and construction professionals.

There is hope for a more sustainable future. By focusing on high-impact products, stakeholders can make informed decisions that prioritize human health and the environment. Our collective action to make better choices right now is our commitment to a sustainable future.

Footnotes:

1. International Union for Conservation of Nature Issues Brief. 2021. “MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION.” IUCN. ↩︎
2. Elsevier, Christopher Walkinshaw, Trevor J. Tolhurst, Penelope K. Lindeque, Richard Thompson, and Matthew Cole. 2022. “Detection and characterisation of microplastics and microfibres in fishmeal and soybean meal.” Marine Pollution Bulletin. ↩︎
3. Roman, Nicole San. “Microplastics Make Their Way from the Gut to Other Organs, UNM Researchers Find.” UNM Health Sciences Center, 12 April 2024. ↩︎
4. Smethurst, Tom. 2023. “Why we must limit use of construction plastics.” MODUS | RICS. ↩︎
5. Ritchie, Hannah. 2018. “FAQs on plastics.” Our World in Data. ↩︎
6. EPA. 2024. “Impacts of Plastic Pollution | US EPA.” Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ↩︎