Apart from the threat to marine and plant life from pollution, the use of plastics can pose serious harm to human life with wide-ranging effects, says Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism responsible for Sustainable Tourism, Diannille Taylor-Williams, appearing on the July 11 edition of “Working for You”. She stated that persons should keep in mind the consequences of using the non-biodegradable material.
The link between using plastic products and ill-health effects is well established, said Mrs. Taylor-Williams.
“In my research, correlations have been made with the levels of some of the chemicals involved in the manufacturing of plastics and an increased risk of problems such as chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and a resistance to chemotherapy,” said the assistant secretary.
Mrs. Taylor-Williams stated that plastics can also cause a person’s body to resist chemotherapy treatment.
“In our destination course, we were looking at the chicken and egg situation because plastics can cause cancer; chemotherapy can been seen as one of the solutions to cancer, but plastic also makes you resistant to chemotherapy,” she explained. “So we are in a real catch 22 situation because the same plastic that’s going to cause you to get the cancer will prevent you from getting over the cancer because it resists the treatment that is found in chemotherapy.”
There is also a correlation between the use of plastic and asthma, said Mrs. Taylor-Williams.
“In speaking to someone recently, sometimes you get a plastic bag and you smell the chemicals,” she explained. “Those are the chemicals you are inhaling and you don’t know what particles you are inhaling when you pick up the bag. It can affect your respiratory system.”
Assistant Secretary Taylor-Williams said that “there are enough threats to human health for us to take another look at our usage of plastics.”