Toxic Food-Borne Chemicals Cause Trillions in Health Damage

A report from Systemiq reveals that four groups of toxic chemicals present in the global food system could be causing major damage to public health.

The study 'Invisible Ingredients' states that phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides and PFAs are contributing to epidemics of preventable disease, fertility loss and environmental damage globally.

According to Systemiq, these four chemical groups are common in food networks and action is too infrequently taken to prevent contamination.

The report estimates that these toxic substances place an unnecessary strain of between US$1.4tn and US$2.2tn on public health systems each year, which is roughly 2-3% of global GDP in avoidable costs.

The chemical contamination of food systems

Sian Sutherland, Co-Founder of A Plastic Planet and the Plastic Health Council, says: "The findings reveal a global failure of governance.

"We are effectively living in a chemical Wild West where substances are unleashed into our food system long before anyone proves they're safe."

These chemicals enter food systems through numerous routes, both intentional and accidental:

• Phthalates used primarily to soften PVC plastics appear in food contact materials including films, tubing and gloves.
• Bisphenols coat the interior of food and beverage cans, jar lids and bottle tops, whilst also forming part of reusable plastic containers.
• Pesticides are applied directly to crops as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, as well as seed and post-harvest treatments.
• PFAs, a group of approximately 15,000 chemicals often called 'forever chemicals' due to their environmental persistence, provide grease and water-repellent coatings in food packaging and non-stick cookware. 

Health costs and demographic impact

The health impacts of these chemicals are extensive.

The Systemiq report notes that toxic chemicals affect multiple organs and biological pathways, which could create systemic and unavoidable health burdens.

According to the study, pesticides alone account for US$816bn in avoidable annual health costs, followed by phthalates at US$609bn, bisphenols at US$533bn and PFAs at US$227bn.

These figures exceed the combined annual profits of the world's 100 largest publicly listed companies.

Perhaps the most alarming part of Systemiq's study is its findings on the demographic impact of these toxic chemicals.

The report suggests that toxic chemicals could result in 200 to 700 million fewer births globally between 2025 and 2100 under a current-exposure scenario.

No region is spared, with exposure beginning before birth and shaping lifelong health risks.

Asia faces an estimated 265 million missing births, representing a 6% reduction.

Elsewhere, Africa could see 200 million fewer births, a 5% decline, while Europe could see 30 million missing births.

These impacts compound existing demographic headwinds and could undermine long-term economic and social resilience.

Ecological damage and supply chain vulnerability

The negative effects of contaminated food systems extend beyond human health.

The report suggests that ecological damage adds an estimated US$0.6tn in annual costs.

According to the report, around 80% of global farmland soils carry pesticide residues, while FDA testing finds PFAs contamination in roughly 74% of seafood samples.

Systemiq also reveals that 600 wildlife species have confirmed PFAs in their tissues, while 20% of red-listed species face risk from bio-accumulating toxic chemicals.

For the food industry, this environmental degradation poses a direct threat to supply chains.

Pesticide-laden runoff, for instance, leads to fish harvest crashes of up to 90% in affected areas, which is devastating for local communities and the supply chains that depend on them.

The study argues that existing policies and technologies could reduce combined harms by approximately 70%, delivering up to US$1.9tn in annual global savings.

The analysis suggests that the costs of action are small compared to the damage avoided.

In the EU, pesticide reduction delivers a benefit-cost ratio of approximately 100 to 3.5, with human health and ecological losses from continued use reaching US$739bn against average reduction costs of just US$26bn.

Sian believes that now is the time for decisive action.

"The consequences are devastating: trillion-dollar health costs, collapsing fertility, contaminated soils and waters," she explains.

"Policymakers must stop tinkering at the edges. We need a decisive, time-bound phaseout of chemicals known to harm human health and a regulatory system that prevents new ones from slipping through the cracks.

"Anything less is wilful negligence."