PlastChem database supports transition to safe and sustainable plastics
A new global database, PlastChem, maps more than 16,000 chemicals used in plastics and reveals that over a quarter are hazardous, providing a crucial knowledge base to support Safe and Sustainable by Design approaches and the transition to a non-toxic circular plastics economy.
Plastics play a vital role in modern society, yet their environmental and health impacts extend far beyond visible plastic waste. In addition to macro- and microplastic pollution, plastics contain complex mixtures of chemicals that can be released during production, use, reuse and waste processing. Many of these substances are linked to serious effects on human health and ecosystems, including endocrine disruption, reproductive harm, neurodevelopmental disorders and environmental toxicity.
16.235 Substances
To address the lack of comprehensive and transparent information on plastic chemicals, researchers have developed PlastChem, a global inventory of 16.235 substances that are intentionally or unintentionally present in plastics. The database covers additives, processing aids, starting substances and non-intentionally added substances such as impurities and reaction by-products. While most chemicals have defined structures, thousands lack sufficient data, highlighting significant knowledge gaps.
PlastChem identifies 4.219 chemicals of concern, representing more than one quarter of all known plastic chemicals. These substances are classified as toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative or mobile, and are found across all major polymer types, including fossil-based and bio-based plastics. Notably, over 10% of polymers themselves are classified as hazardous, challenging the assumption that polymers are inherently safe. Despite their widespread presence, most chemicals of concern remain unregulated at global level, underlining major governance and transparency gaps.
Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD)
By consolidating fragmented data into a single inventory, PlastChem supports policy initiatives such as the EU’s “one substance, one assessment” framework and provides a scientific foundation for Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD). It enables the early identification and substitution of hazardous substances, encourages simplification of material compositions, and supports informed decision-making in product and process design.
In this context, Catalisti can play a key enabling role by translating PlastChem insights into innovation projects that accelerate the development and adoption of safer solutions. By fostering collaboration between industry, research organisations and technology providers, Catalisti supports SSbD-driven redesign of materials, substitution of chemicals of concern, and data-driven assessment tools integrated early in innovation pathways. In doing so, Catalisti helps build a competitive, circular and safe value chain aligned with evolving European and global policy frameworks.
Source: EU Commission