A sweeping review published November 2025 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health and led by pediatrician Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, director of NYU Langone Health’s Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards, presents robust evidence for the effects of plastic exposure in children.
The report outlines decades of evidence from laboratory and human studies showing that chemicals often added to industrial, medical, and household goods—ranging from food packaging, cosmetics, blood bags, and paper receipts—may contribute to disease and disability, particularly when these chemicals are encountered in early life.
Here’s a closer look at the review’s key takeaways and the unique opportunities healthcare providers have for prevention.
What types of plastic-derived chemicals are children exposed to, and how does exposure occur?
The review, drawing on studies of thousands of pregnant mothers, fetuses, and children, focuses on three chemical classes: phthalates used to make plastic flexible, bisphenols, which provide rigidity, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which help materials resist heat and repel water.
Experts have found that as plastics are used, heated, or chemically treated, microplastic and nanoparticles from these chemicals are released and ingested. Exposure to plastic-derived toxins has been shown to prompt inflammation and disrupt hormone function.
How widespread is plastic exposure, and what are the potential health consequences for children over time?
According to the review, 16,000 different substances are used in plastic materials. Regulatory agencies do not uniformly require the disclosure of ingredients and additives in plastic products.
Adverse health outcomes from plastic exposures on pediatric health include low birth weight, preterm birth, developmental delays, increased adiposity, and impaired brain development, with numerous studies linking early-life exposure to IQ loss and neurodevelopmental issues such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Toxins in plastic are also tied to a wide range of long-term chronic concerns, including heart disease, obesity, male and female infertility, and asthma.
“Our findings point to plastic’s role in the early origins of many chronic diseases that reverberate into adolescence and adulthood,” says Dr. Trasande, the Jim G. Hendrick, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics. “If we want kids to stay healthy and live longer, then we need to get serious about limiting the use of these materials.”
What do these results mean for clinicians who are caring for children?
Healthcare providers can empower patients to make informed decisions about the products they use and direct them toward safer options to reduce the use of plastic. Replacing plastic containers with glass or stainless steel and avoiding microwaving and dishwashing plastic are safe and simple steps parents can take to limit their children’s plastic exposure, Dr. Trasande says.
He also suggests that clinicians partner with schools and community organizations to engage younger generations about the health risks of plastic exposure.
What do these results mean for plastic use in the healthcare system?
Despite its health risks, plastic can play an essential role in pediatric medicine, such as its use in ventilators and feeding tubes for premature infants. The findings, the researchers say, do not challenge the need for the material in healthcare but instead highlight the dangers of its unnecessary use elsewhere.
Still, the replacement of medical devices containing plastic with safer alternatives can help reduce plastic-related exposure. “In regions where regulations have been enacted to limit the use of phthalate and bisphenols in medical products, hospitals have reported reduced biomarker concentrations of these chemicals,” the authors write.
What can be done at the policy level to reduce plastic pollution?
The review calls for stricter regulatory measures to reduce the use of nonessential plastic items, particularly in low-income communities with profound health disparities. It comes on the heels of the 2025 Plastics, Human Health, and Solutions Symposium, which convened researchers and policy makers from multiple continents at NYU Langone. They discussed the latest research on the health impact of microplastics, recent policy developments, and alignment with the UN Plastics Treaty, which calls for a worldwide treaty on plastic production to protect human health and the environmental effects of plastic pollution.
Dr. Trasande notes that while the economic value of the plastics industry is commonly raised as a barrier to enacting regulations, the resulting healthcare costs from exposure are enormous, with his research estimates reaching roughly $250 billion per year in the United States alone.
