Toxic chemicals in food system driving $2.2tn health and environmental crisis

An array of toxic man-made chemicals which currently form an integral part of the global food production system are driving increased rates of cancer, cutting fertility rates, and damaging the environment, a major report warns.

The resulting impact of these highly unregulated synthetic chemicals is huge – with a global health burden of around $1.4–$2.2 trillion a year, equating to roughly 2−3 per cent of global GDP or about equal to the combined annual profits of the world’s 100 largest publicly listed companies.

Synthetic chemicals such as PFAS, the so‑called “forever chemicals” now pervasive across the natural world, are inflicting environmental damage so severe that they are eroding agriculture and the very natural capital on which societies and global economies rely, the report says.

Nonetheless, most of the environmental damage being done is largely undocumented with the economic peril it presents being difficult to accurately quantify.

“Even a narrow accounting of ecological impacts – meeting water safety standards for PFAS and pesticides plus agricultural losses – implies costs of at least $640bn per year worldwide,” the authors said, adding that “these figures are conservative”.

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Meanwhile, the impact of synthetic chemicals’ on human fertility is now “undermining the long-term foundations of economic and social resilience”, the report said.

“If current exposure persists, there could be 200–700 million fewer births globally between 2025 and 2100 – at the high end, equivalent to the entire population of Southeast Asia.”

However, unpicking our dependency on the use of dangerous chemicals is difficult.

They are “deeply embedded in modern food systems,” the report warns. “They are intentionally used in fertilizers and pesticides, in processing aids and equipment, and in packaging and coatings. They also enter the food system unintentionally due to chemical reactions or breakdown products; or as contamination from soil, water, or air pollution.”

The report, titled Invisible Ingredients, focuses on four major chemical groups – phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides, and PFAS – all of which affect human health, ecosystems, and economic stability through the global food system.

The analysis found that across the four groups of toxic chemicals, “the benefits of action vastly outweigh,” the cost of inaction.

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It highlights how reducing pesticide dependence would deliver benefits well beyond avoided harms, stating that a resultant decline in cancers, metabolic diseases, and neurodevelopmental disorders will alleviate human health burdens. Meanwhile, “ecological resilience will strengthen as pollinators and natural pest predators recover, reducing long-term pest pressure”.

“Soil health will improve, enhancing carbon sequestration and delivering climate and biodiversity co-benefits through regenerative practices,” the report says.

The team suggested that considerable reductions in levels of toxic chemicals in the food system “is both possible and cost effective”.

“Past regulatory action has shown that when governments set clear rules, industries adapt rapidly – often at lower costs than anticipated,” they said.

“Existing policies and technologies could reduce combined harms by around 70 per cent, delivering up to $1.9 trillion in annual global savings. The costs of action are small compared to the damage avoided.”