The Core Issue with Plastics: A Bold Call to Protect Our Health and Our Planet
This is a rush transcript. The text may not reflect the final version.
AMY GOODMAN: Welcome to Democracy Now!, the War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.
Judith Enck, author of The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late, joins us. A former EPA regional administrator and current president of Beyond Plastics, she discusses how pollution affects ecosystems, human health, and the broader goal of moving beyond plastics. Her book arrives as negotiations on a legally binding global treaty to curb plastic pollution have stalled, and plastics were not a major focus at COP30 in Brazil. The next week brings the seventh session of the U.N. Environment Assembly in Nairobi, under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet.”
AMY GOODMAN: Judith Enck, great to have you back on Democracy Now. Let’s dive in.
JUDITH ENCK: Thanks for having me.
AMY GOODMAN: The book’s title is The Problem with Plastic. What exactly does that mean?
JUDITH ENCK: In truth, there are many problems wrapped into one. Plastics represent a climate change issue because they’re derived from fossil fuels and involve around 16,000 distinct chemicals. They’re a health concern too, given that microplastics have been detected throughout the human body. Plastics also raise environmental justice questions since production tends to occur in low-income communities and communities of color, such as Cancer Alley in Louisiana. And there’s a consumer deception angle: the industry has long argued that plastics can be recycled, which is not the reality. Finally, the oceans themselves are becoming a vast watery landfill, with roughly two enormous truckloads of plastic entering the seas every minute. The oceans cover about 71% of the planet and serve as a crucial protein source for many people.
AMY GOODMAN: When plastic ends up in the ocean, what happens next?
JUDITH ENCK: Sunlight and wave action break plastics into countless tiny fragments. A single bottle can fragment into hundreds or thousands of microplastics, which are then consumed by marine life, effectively turning the ocean into a colossal pollution zone. It’s an urgent ocean health emergency.
AMY GOODMAN: Chemicals in plastics have been linked to cancer, neurological damage, and hormonal disruption. Can you explain?
JUDITH ENCK: Plastic production involves about 16,000 chemicals, including PFAS—often called forever chemicals. Each plastic item contains a unique chemical blend, so it’s not straightforward to tie one specific product, like a certain food wrapper, to a single health outcome. Still, many of these substances are carcinogenic and act as reproductive toxins. My major concern lies with plastic packaging that directly touches food and beverages, especially when heating is involved.
AMY GOODMAN: You advise against microwaving in plastic. How reliable are the so-called microwave-safe labels?
JUDITH ENCK: The bottom line is: avoid placing any food container in the microwave. Heating can cause leaching of chemicals into food. And steer clear of black plastic as well, since that color often signifies recycled electronic waste. It’s a big red flag.
AMY GOODMAN: Should these plastics go in the dishwasher?
JUDITH ENCK: Not really a good idea for containers used with food, because heat can prompt chemical leaching.
AMY GOODMAN: Let’s talk about microplastics in more detail.
JUDITH ENCK: Microplastics are tiny particles, five millimeters or smaller. Researchers have found microplastics in blood, kidneys, lungs, and even heart arteries, where they can attach to plaque and raise risks of heart attack, stroke, and early death. Disturbingly, they’ve crossed the blood–brain barrier and are now being studied for links to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. These plastics have also appeared in the placenta and breast milk, meaning babies can be born already exposed. And in conversations with policymakers, noting their presence in testicles often helps grab attention.
AMY GOODMAN: The U.N. climate summit recently concluded in Brazil, with activists pressing for plastics reform. How does this issue fit into the broader climate agenda?
JUDITH ENCK: Plastics started as a petrochemical product and now increasingly emerges as a upcycled byproduct of fracking. This makes plastics a clear climate concern. Our research on production, use, and disposal shows that plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions are equivalent to the output of about 116 coal-fired power plants.
There’s a separate U.N. process focused on plastics, but it’s stalled due to diverging positions, notably from the United States and Saudi Arabia. The negotiations are ongoing, though progress remains elusive.
AMY GOODMAN: Who’s lobbying for plastics, and what needs to change? Your book’s title hints at urgency.
JUDITH ENCK: The phrase “The Problem with Plastic” is a deliberate statement about policy, not just science. This is a political battle. The fossil-fuel and chemical industries—names like Exxon, Shell, Dow Chemical, the American Chemistry Council, and major consumer brands—show up everywhere, from city council rooms to state capitals, promoting restraint rather than reform. In Albany, for example, a comprehensive packaging-reduction bill nearly passed despite heavy corporate lobbying. This is not merely a political divide but a test of whether communities can curb plastic production and waste. Nevertheless, momentum is building nationwide as more people recognize that reducing plastic is in everyone’s best interest. Polls show broad bipartisan support for lowering plastic production; the question is whether enough citizens will step into the arena to push for meaningful change. Nobody wants to see babies born with microplastics in their placenta or breast milk.
AMY GOODMAN: You’ve spoken about the EPA under the Trump administration. How did that period affect environmental protections?
JUDITH ENCK: It was a troubling era—the EPA shifted away from safeguarding public health and the environment, with notable influence from chemical-industry insiders. The agency’s leadership, including the head you mentioned, failed to prioritize health protections in places like Cancer Alley. It’s a setback that will take years to overcome, and it underscores the need for states and localities to fill the gaps where federal action falters.
AMY GOODMAN: California’s attorney general recently sued ExxonMobil over its recycling claims, correct?
JUDITH ENCK: Yes. The suit alleged that ExxonMobil misrepresented the effectiveness of plastics recycling. The industry’s “dump it in the recycling bin” messaging has long misled consumers, especially given that nationwide plastic recycling rates hover around 5–6%. The complexity of plastics—different chemicals, colors, and polymers—means they can’t be recycled together as cleanly as paper, metal, or glass.
AMY GOODMAN: What policy tools really move the needle—single-use plastic bans, bottle deposits, or redesigning packaging?
JUDITH ENCK: The book offers practical policy models for local and state action, intentionally avoiding national-scale bets. Communities can ban plastic bags and adopt “Skip the Stuff” rules for takeout—opting out of free utensils and straws unless requested. The bottle bill—an early, proven success with a refundable deposit on beverage containers—demonstrates that incentives work for recycling plastics.
The most transformative reform is extended producer responsibility (EPR). This approach requires producers to share accountability for their plastic products, including 50% reductions in single-use packaging over ten years and prohibiting the use of highly toxic substances like PFAS, lead, cadmium, and formaldehyde in packaging.
AMY GOODMAN: To close, you wrote a pledge to communities most affected by plastic pollution. Can you share that sentiment and its call to action?
JUDITH ENCK: The environmental-justice dimension is severe. People living near plastic facilities—whether in Cancer Alley, Appalachia, or similar areas—face higher health risks. A Johns Hopkins study found cancer rates in Cancer Alley significantly above the national average. Reducing plastic production and strengthening laws to curb plastic use will also protect those communities, even if not everyone lives near a facility.
AMY GOODMAN: Judith Enck, former EPA regional administrator and president of Beyond Plastics, thank you for joining us. Her book is The Problem with Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late.
That’s all for today. I’m Amy Goodman. This is Democracy Now!
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