Join the fight to prevent plastic pollution

Plastics! That one word conjures up multiple threats to our health, justice, and environment.

Plastic waste litters every coastline, chokes wildlife, and sheds microplastics everywhere, even into our food and bodies.

The climate crisis has been prolonged by rapidly increasing production of plastics with rising greenhouse gas emissions from burning oil & gas and plastic waste.

Environmental racism runs rampant, with plastics chemical plants located in over-burdened communities of color and persistent racial disparities in population exposure to petrochemicals.

Toxic hazards plague plastics, from the thousands of chemicals used to make plastics and the hundreds shown to expose workers, fenceline communities, and consumers to health threats.

But solutions are in sight. Together, we can achieve a new materials economy that’s fossil-free and toxic-free, and steeped in the principles of environmental justice and sustainability.

HEALTH: Stop Plastic Pollution, Rethink PET and Polyester

Polyester and PET plastic are unsafe, unjust, and unsustainable materials. Petrochemical pollution must be stopped. Learn more

JUSTICE: Assess Cumulative Impact of Exposure to Toxics

Too many plastics contain toxic chemical additives that disproportionately harm BIPOC communities—but safer, greener alternatives are widely available. Learn more

CLIMATE: Drawdown Petrochemical Plastics Production and Use

We can replace oil and gas as a raw material to make durable plastics, and instead use renewable natural resources. Learn more

Advancing Solutions

Four parallel strategies must be pursued to end the growing harm from petrochemical plastics:

  • Eliminate unnecessary and problematic uses of plastics, including single-use packaging
  • Detoxify the plastics lifecycle by phasing out all uses of chemicals of high concern
  • End racial disparities from plastics-related pollution by rooting out systemic racism
  • Convert fossil petrochemicals to renewable carbon sources for durable uses of plastics

Our Victories

Defend Our Health works for a just transition to safer and more sustainable materials. Some milestones we’ve hit so far:

  • Since 2010, we’ve persuaded government and corporate policymakers to replace plastics-related chemicals such as bisphenol A, phthalates, and PFAS with safer alternatives.
  • In 2019, we helped pass policies to end the use of polystyrene foam packaging and plastic bags, and the release of plastic balloons.
  • In 2021, with allies we demanded an end to racial disparities in nationwide exposure to phthalates from plastic and rubber, in comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection.
  • In 2022, we blew the whistle on PET plastic and polyester for exposing children to unsafe levels of cancer-causing antimony, an unnecessary plastics processing aid.