Scientists urge action to curb plastic additives linked to male infertility

An alliance of scientists and health experts is urging for action on plastic additives linked to sperm declining.

For this purpose, a leading reproductive scientist has warned that splits over chemical regulations contribute to the collapse of a crucial treaty on plastic pollution.

It has been observed that across the world, sperm counts have been declining at a rate of about 1% a year for the past 50 years, and subsequently human fertility has been diminishing at a similar rate.

The increasing levels of obesity, ageing and sedentary lifestyles could be the possible causes. But according to Dr Shanna Swan, professor of environmental medicine and public health in New York City, certain environmental factors play the most significant role.

According to Swan, the prime reason for decline was “largely, but not entirely due to toxins in the environment that have the ability to interfere with steroid hormones."

Swan and her colleagues in 2017 published a meta-analysis showing a decline in sperm of almost 60% among men in North America, Europe and Australia between 1973 and 2011.

The team repeated the research and extended the study to 2018 and included previously unavailable data from Africa, Asia, and South America.

Swan said, “We separated the countries into western and non-western for analytical purposes and in both we found a significant decline.”

She explained, “And the other thing we found, was at least as alarming was that if you looked at all of the studies going back to 1973 you see a 1% per year decline. If you look at studies published after 2000, you can see an over 2% decline.”

“So, the rate of decline had increased and had increased significantly in recent years,” Swan added.

Previously Swan carried out research into the effects of phthalates on unborn male babies, finding that exposure at a critical point in gestation could lead to subtle deformities in sexual development.

The unfavorable effects of phthalates in the womb, known as “phthalate syndrome,” once children reached sexual maturity lowered sperm counts.

Nevertheless, certain action is needed to be taken on the use of plastic additives with an urgent need for safer replacements.

In addition, 100 nations had signed a declaration calling for a “legally binding obligation to phase out those most harmful plastic products and chemicals of concern."