Plastic waste isn’t just found in our oceans and woodlands, our bodies are now contaminated with plastic too. It’s very literally in us.
Health Risks of Microplastics and Plastic in Humans
Science is only beginning to understand the long-term effects of plastic on human health, yet the evidence so far is alarming. Microplastics have been found in the air we breathe, the food we eat1, and even in our organs and blood2. From production to disposal, our constant exposure and intake of plastic threaten our well-being.
Microplastics: Everywhere Even Inside Us
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastic items or are manufactured as small pellets for industrial use. These particles have infiltrated almost every aspect of our environment:
There are more chemicals in plastic than previously thought. Plastics contain over 16,000 chemicals, many of which remain untested and may be toxic to human health. At least 4,200 (or 26%) of these are highly hazardous to human and environmental health.3
Scientists have found microplastics in human stools4, demonstrating how these particles are ingested and excreted by our bodies. Even more concerning is the discovery of microplastics in human lungs5, blood6, placentas, and breast milk7. This suggests that exposure to microplastics begins at a very early stage of development, potentially affecting health from the womb onward.
Inhalation and Ingestion of plastic:
Microplastics have been detected in the air we breathe and the food we eat 1. Research indicates that over 90 percent of samples of commercially available food-grade table salt from global brands contain microplastics 8. This widespread contamination highlights how pervasive microplastics and plastic in humans are becoming.
Plastic Food Contamination:
Microplastics have been found in a variety of commercially available foods, including seafood (such as fish, lobster, mussels, and clams)9. This contamination raises significant concerns about the potential health impacts of ingesting microplastics through our diet. The amount of microplastics a person might consume in food is difficult to quantify, but the implications for health are troubling.
The Hidden Dangers of Plastic Chemicals
Plastics contain over 16,000 chemicals, many of which remain untested and may be toxic to human health. At least 4,200 of these chemicals (or 26%) are highly hazardous to human and environmental health. The presence of these chemicals in everyday plastic products means that we are constantly exposed to potentially harmful substances.10
The presence of microplastics and plastic in humans is a clear indication of the pervasive nature of plastic pollution. While much remains to be understood about the long-term health effects of microplastics, the evidence so far underscores the urgent need for action.
A global threat needs a global response. Please help support the creation of a global plastics treaty by signing our petition today- before our planet chokes to death. Help end plastic pollution at the source and protect the health of future generations.
Sign the petition for a strong Global Plastics Treaty
Governments around the world are now negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty – an agreement that could solve the planetary crisis brought by runaway plastic production. Let’s end the age of plastic – sign the petition for a strong Global Plastics Treaty now.
- Qian N, Gao X, Lang X, Deng H, Bratu TM, Chen Q, Stapleton P, Yan B, Min W. Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 121(3):e2300582121 (2024). doi: 10.1073/pnas.2300582121. Epub 2024 Jan 8. PMID: 38190543
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258, Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood, [Heather A.Leslie, Martin J.M.van Velzen, Sicco H.Brandsma, A. DickVethaak, Juan J.Garcia-Vallejo, Marja H.Lamoree](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022001258#!)
- State of Science on Plastic Chemicals. https://plastchem-project.org/
- https://www.ueg.eu/press/releases/ueg-press-release/article/ueg-week-microplastics-discovered-in-human-stools-across-the-globe-in-first-study-of-its-kind/; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31476765
- Amato-Lourenço LF, Carvalho-Oliveira R, Júnior GR, Dos Santos Galvão L, Ando RA, Mauad T. Presence of airborne microplastics in human lung tissue. J Hazard Mater. 2021 Aug 15;416:126124. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.126124
- Yan, Z. et al. Analysis of Microplastics in Human Feces Reveals a Correlation between Fecal Microplastics and Inflammatory Bowel Disease Status. Environ. Sci. Technol. 56, 1, 414–421. (2022). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c03924
- Ragusa, A. et al. Plasticenta: First evidence of microplastics in human placenta, Environment International, 146, 2021, 106274, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106274
- https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/over-90-of-sampled-salt-brands-globally-found-to-contain-microplastics/
- Santillo, D., Miller, K. & Johnston, P. (2017) Microplastics as contaminants in commercially important seafood species. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 13, 516–521. DOI: 10.1002/ieam.1909
- State of Science on Plastic Chemicals. https://plastchem-project.org/
The Alarming Presence of Microplastics and Plastic in the Human Body
Climate Change
Greenpeace delivers 47 metre-long petition with half a million signatures to Woodside HQ following major gas protest
Greenpeace delivers 47 metre-long petition with half a million signatures to Woodside HQ following major gas protest
PERTH, Monday 19 October 2026 — Dozens of Perth community members delivered a giant petition, signed by almost half a million people, to Woodside’s corporate headquarters this morning, calling on the government to save Scott Reef from Woodside’s reckless Browse gas proposal.
Dressed in sea creature costumes and hats, supporters carried one of Australia’s biggest environmental petitions to Woodside’s headquarters, and a local choir performed a ‘Scott Reef’ rendition of Angie McMahon’s iconic cover of ‘Reckless’ by Australian Crawl.
On the sidelines of the Perth Global Citizen Now event, it comes following a two day-long protest at Woodside’s Scarborough gas platform that saw activists scale and occupy the Floating Production Unit calling to “Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas” and “Save Scott Reef”. The activists were taken from the platform by police helicopter on Sunday afternoon.
David Ritter, CEO at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “Less than a day after two Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists were arrested for their peaceful protest at Woodside’s Scarborough gas platform to save Scott Reef, we are here again with another message to Woodside: half a million of us do not want your dirty gas at Scott Reef.
“Community pressure on Woodside is rising. Today we are here to show Woodside that they can’t ignore half a million people who want Scott Reef protected, not turned into an industrialised gas zone.
“Woodside can’t be trusted with our oceans. Woodside’s plans to drill up to 57 toxic wells at Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef, putting endangered pygmy blue whales at risk, and jeopardising a nesting ground for unique green sea turtles.
“We Australians love our oceans and this is an opportunity for our governments to do the right thing, to reject Woodside’s reckless drilling plans, and save Scott Reef.”
-ENDS-
Media contact
Kate O’Callaghan on +61 406 231 892 or Emma Sangalli on +61 431 513 465
Climate Change
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists in police custody after two-day protest against Woodside’s Browse gas project at Scott Reef
PERTH, Sunday 18 October 2026 — Two Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists are in police custody after occupying a gas platform at Woodside’s Scarborough gas project, in peaceful protest of the fossil fuel corporation’s plans to drill for oil and gas at Scott Reef.
NEW footage and photos of the peaceful protest available here and on Instagram
The activists used specialised climbing equipment to scale and attach themselves to a Floating Production Unit (FPU), a key piece of gas processing infrastructure at the Scarborough gas field over 200km off the coast of Exmouth, at around 05:45am AWST on Saturday and proceeded to occupy the platform for two days, displaying banners reading “Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas. Save Scott Reef.”
Special police forces landed a helicopter on the FPU at around 11:30am AWST. The activists safely removed themselves from their equipment before being taken into police custody around 1:00pm AWST. At the time of writing, no charges have been laid.
David Ritter, CEO at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “It takes guts and conviction to do what our activists have done, peacefully protesting Woodside’s reckless gas plans at Scott Reef.
“Woodside’s plans to drill up to 57 toxic wells at Scott Reef are outrageous. If allowed to go ahead Woodside would turn Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef, home to nesting green sea turtles and elusive pygmy blue whales, into an industrial gas zone. Around half a million people have called on our governments to stop Woodside and to save Scott Reef.
“Our activists are highly trained and experienced in these activities. West Australia has a proud history of peaceful, democratic protest at sea, to protect our oceans from environmental threats. From whaling in Albany in the seventies, to Woodside’s threat to Scott Reef today, there’s more than fifty years of history, of Greenpeace taking action off WA’s coast to protect the places we love.
“Peaceful protest has long been part of what has given us so many of the things that are great about Australia and is part of the fabric of our democracy and our national identity.”
“The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to a healthy democracy. From Australia to the Arctic and the Amazon, Greenpeace has been peacefully protesting for more than 50 years to expose the biggest environmental threats around the world. We will not be silenced by corporations like Woodside who actively try to stop everyday people from speaking out against their reckless plans.
“Woodside’s reckless proposal to drill at Scott Reef is an unacceptable risk to Scott Reef and to the climate, which our government should emphatically reject.”
Speaking from the Rainbow Warrior, Captain of the Rainbow Warrior Hettie Geenen, said:
“It felt powerful watching from the Rainbow Warrior as these brave activists scaled Woodside’s enormous and imposing gas infrastructure, which has no place at Scott Reef. We are all out here because we feel an urge to act, in the face of Woodside’s grave threat to Scott Reef and to our climate. Now we ask for the Australian government to act too, and reject Woodside’s reckless Browse project.
“Just before this peaceful protest, the Rainbow Warrior sailed to Scott Reef, where our whole crew got to witness the magic of an untouched, healthy reef ecosystem full of marine life. It was my second time visiting Scott Reef with the Rainbow Warrior. When you see Scott Reef up close and witness its magic first hand, it is impossible not to feel driven to try and protect it.”
The activists sailed to Scarborough on the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace’s flagship vessel, which is in the region campaigning to protect Australia’s oceans, including Scott Reef.
-ENDS-
Media contact
Greenpeace Australia Pacific media team in Perth on +61 406 231 892 or +61 407 581 404 or email media.au@greenpeace.org
Climate Change
GREENPEACE GAS PROTEST DAY TWO: Activists spend first night on Woodside’s Scarborough gas platform, “in this for the long haul”
- NEW footage and photos available here and on Instagram – more being uploaded today.
- Interviews available with campaigners on board the Rainbow Warrior on request.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists have slept overnight on Woodside’s Floating Production Unit and dropped a massive 12×14-metre banner reading “Stop Woodside’s Dirty Gas. Save Scott Reef”.
Two activists have set up temporary hanging tents on the South East pillar, while the other two returned to the Rainbow Warrior late yesterday afternoon, after fulfilling their initial role. The activists will occupy the platform for as long as possible.
The environmental advocacy group is peacefully protesting Woodside’s plans to drill for oil and gas at Scott Reef as part of its Browse proposal.
Sakyo Noda, one of the Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists, said: “As a Japanese person living in Australia, I feel incredibly passionate about stopping Australia’s gas exports to Asia.
“Despite what the gas industry tells us, Australia’s gas is not helping to decarbonise Asia. It is simply not true. We shouldn’t be allowing fossil fuel companies like Woodside to extract new fossil fuels, let alone at extraordinary places like Scott Reef”.
Aboard the Rainbow Warrior, Geoff Bice, WA Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, added, “Everyone is in good spirits. We’re in it for the long haul.”
Links:
Photos and video of Scott Reef here
Audio and footage of yesterday’s press conference here
Content and live updates will be uploaded to a live blog and Instagram
In-person interviews in Perth with David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, can be organised. Dial-in, SimSat and Zoom interviews with Geoff Bice, WA Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, currently aboard the Rainbow Warrior, can be organised.
Greenpeace delivers 47 metre-long petition with half a million signatures to Woodside HQ following major gas protest
Dictators
Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists in police custody after two-day protest against Woodside’s Browse gas project at Scott Reef
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