Microplastics are reaching the liver, study finds - and COP31 puts plastic on the agenda

Zero Waste and Circularity is one of the 10 themes of the Global Climate Action Agenda and will be a central point of discussion at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. Billed ‘The COP of the Future’, COP31 will ensure that practical delivery is achieved, including circular economies.

With plastic pollution exceeding 450 million tonnes annually, the petrochemical material will be inherent to conversations - and fresh research is sharpening the health argument. A study led by the University of Bonn, published this week in Nature Metabolism, found that microplastics about the size of a bacterium can build up over time in liver immune cells in mice, disrupting liver metabolism and increasing fat storage.

Though a study on animals - with direct relevance to human health not yet established – these findings remind us that plastic pollution is no longer an environmental problem; it is a health crisis.

According to UNEP, two-thirds of the plastic waste we produce is short-lived products such as single-use plastic. If we continue consuming plastic as we do today, by 2060 global plastic waste could almost triple. Evidently, practical implementation is vital to help minimise this growth.

Efforts to agree a legally binding global plastics treaty have stalled. Countries failed to reach a deal at what were meant to be final rounds of talks in December 2024 and August 2025, and now informal meetings are in place before formal negotiations resume later this year.

COP31 is a vital moment to accelerate the implementation of Zero Waste & Circularity. It is not a plastics negotiation itself, but with an entire day dedicated to the theme, governments, businesses and innovators have a high-profile platform to demonstrate progress and collaborate on circular systems. To support this, Zero Waste & Circularity is central to the agenda at the Climate Action Innovation Zone in Antalya from 10-11 November.