While the current research is limited, as more studies are conducted, specific chemicals in plastic products are linked to bodily harm, and the ingestion of microplastics is better understood, businesses that are responsible or even potentially responsible for an individual's exposure to plastics could face a range of liabilities. (Credit: David Pereiras/Shutterstock)
According to the World Economic Forum, plastic production has increased twenty-fold since 1964. This increased production, coupled with insufficient waste management protocols and the one-time use of most plastic products, has led to a global threat: plastic pollution. Indeed, plastic waste has infiltrated the world's oceans and lands and has become a potential hazard to our environment and human health.
Recently, the plastic pollution threat has been compounded by the discovery of microplastics — small plastic particles that result from the breakdown of human-made plastics, typically measuring less than 5 millimeters.
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