About State of the Science on Plastic Chemicals 2024

The PlastChem project synthesizes scientific evidence on over 16,000 chemicals potentially used or present in plastics. The Norwegian Research Council funded this state-of-the-art review to identify and prioritize chemicals of concern. It provides a comprehensive overview of chemical properties, hazards, functionalities, uses, and regulatory status.

Furthermore, the project applies a systematic hazard-based approach using four critical criteria: Persistence, Bioaccumulation, Mobility, and Toxicity. This evaluation identifies plastic chemicals across 15 priority groups requiring policy action. The resource delivers both a peer-reviewed publication in Nature and an accompanying comprehensive database.

Key Features

• Also includes six prioritized chemical lists organized by hazard properties.
• Furthermore, the database contains regulatory status information for each chemical.
• In addition, it systematically covers chemical functionalities and production volumes.
• Additionally, the resource enables identification of polymers of concern across industries.

Access and Data

The PlastChem project provides open access to the database and full report. All data are openly available to researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. The peer-reviewed publication and comprehensive chemical lists support evidence-based policy development and chemical substitution decisions.