READ HABITABLE’S NEW REPORTDesigning Out Plastics: A Blueprint for Healthier Building Materials
PollutionDesigning Out Plastics: A Blueprint for Healthier Building Materials
Report
A growing number of building professionals, policymakers, real estate developers, and philanthropic funders have awoken to the shocking volume of plastic building materials in use today and the devastating harm they cause to human and environmental health. Find out why these leaders now see healthier alternatives to plastic building materials as the next frontier in the building and construction sector.
Key Takeaway #1
Plastics harm human and environmental health at every stage of their life cycle, from extraction through production and disposal.
Almost all plastics are made from fossil fuels, while the chemicals used to produce them are linked to cancer, reproductive harm, developmental issues, and other health harms. They also release microplastics which contaminate our environment and our bodies, and at the end of their life, plastics create massive amounts of waste. Tragically, these impacts fall hardest on children and on low-wealth, Indigenous, and communities of color.
Key Takeaway #2
The building sector is a leading driver of plastics use and continues to grow.
From flooring and siding to insulation and even paint, the building and construction sector accounts for 17% of global plastic production – second only to packaging. Plastic use in construction is on track to nearly double by 2050, intensifying its environmental and health harms. In fact, driven in large part by building materials, the plastics industry is expected to produce more plastic in the next 25 years than in all of history to date.
Key Takeaway #3
The building sector’s heavy reliance on plastics creates a unique and severe danger to human and environmental health.
The sector uses 70% of all PVC (vinyl) produced globally and 30% of all polystyrene—two of the most hazardous plastics. Plastic building materials make buildings less fire resistant, burning faster and hotter while generating more toxic chemicals than natural materials—posing an escalating threat as climate change fuels more severe wildfires.
Key Takeaway #4
Healthier alternatives are already available and can significantly reduce our reliance on plastic building materials.
Habitable has identified healthier, no/low-plastic alternatives for many plastic building products. Informed™ product guidance can help developers, designers, builders, homeowners, and policymakers find healthier alternatives to plastics.
Recommendations
1. Minimize new material use and reuse existing products when possible
2. Choose healthier materials when new products are necessary
3. Choose long-lived, timeless materials that remain in place for their full service life
4. Evaluate recycling claims critically as recycling often perpetuates rather than reduces the life cycle impacts of plastics
Download the Report
Download the full report for more information including examples of solutions from leaders like CannonDesign and Sera Architects.
PollutionBuildings’ Hidden Plastic Problem: Policy Brief and Recommendations
Report
Habitable’s policy brief, “Buildings’ Hidden Plastic Problem,” reveals stunning statistics about current and projected plastic use in buildings and includes recommendations to reduce plastic pollution—greenhouse gases (GHGs), microplastics, and toxic chemicals—throughout product life cycles.
This policy brief presents highlights from the significant body of science indicating that plastic building materials are contributing to serious health and environmental harms over their life cycle, from fossil fuel extraction to production, use, and disposal. These impacts fall disproportionately on susceptible and marginalized people, including women, children, Indigenous people, low-income communities, and people of color. The brief includes examples of solutions and offers recommendations to strengthen policies that will reduce plastic use in the built environment and associated life cycle harms.
Endorsing organizations:
- Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
- Alaska Community Action on Toxics
- American Sustainable Business Network
- Between the Waters
- Beyond Plastics
- Cannon Design
- Changing Materials/Changing Streams
- Children’s Environmental Health Network
- Cooper Carry
- Defend Our Health
- Earthjustice
- Ecology Center
- Green Science Policy Inst
- Healthy Babies Bright Futures
- Just Zero
- Little Things Matter
- Moms Clean Air Force
- MSR Design
- Planetary Health Alliance
- Plastic Free Future
- Plastic Pollution Coalition
- Safer States
- Science and Environmental Health Network
- Toxic Free Future
Interested in endorsing these policy recommendations? Contact us.
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PollutionDisposable Plastic Buildings: Case Studies in K-12, Healthcare, and Affordable Housing
Report
This fact sheet highlights the building and construction sector’s significant contributions to global plastic pollution.
Using case studies of flooring products specified in the K-12, healthcare, and affordable housing sectors, the fact sheet introduces opportunities for building practitioners to reduce the plastic footprint of their buildings and emphasizes the impact that one building can make by specifying low/no-plastic products.
PollutionAssessing Benefits and Risks of Incorporating Plastic Waste in Construction Materials
Report
Plastic pollution and climate change are interconnected threats that drive global social injustice, with the construction industry being a significant contributor due to its prolific use of plastics.
Recently, efforts to recycle or downcycle plastics into building materials have accelerated, leading to incorporation of plastic waste into materials such as composite asphalt-plastic roads, plastic adhesives, and plastic-concrete. However, research suggests these practices may exacerbate environmental, health, and social problems, acting as “greenwashing” that distracts from real solutions. This mini review evaluates the impacts of using plastic waste in construction materials and calls for caution and further research before widespread adoption. Read the full review to explore the evidence and recommendations in detail.
HealthProtecting the Developing Brains of Children from the Harmful Effects of Plastics and Toxic Chemicals in Plastics
Report
Discover the urgent need to protect children’s developing brains from the harmful effects of plastics and toxic chemicals with this recent report, “Protecting the Developing Brains of Children from the Harmful Effects of Plastics and Toxic Chemicals in Plastics.”
This briefing paper, prepared by experts from Project TENDR, summarizes mounting scientific evidence linking plastic exposure to neurodevelopmental disabilities and cognitive deficits in children. It also provides essential policy recommendations to strengthen the new global treaty on plastics pollution. Download the report or watch the webinar to learn more about how we can address the toxicity and proliferation of plastics and petrochemicals.
PollutionGeneva Beat Plastic Pollution
Report
The time to address the plastic crisis is now. Plastic pollution is a global issue demanding urgent, coordinated action from all stakeholders. This report highlights the Geneva Beat Plastic Pollution dialogues, which played a crucial role in shaping the negotiations for a global agreement. These dialogues raised awareness and urgency, culminating in the historic mandate at UNEA 5.2 to negotiate an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution.
HealthValue Engineering in Plumbing Systems
Report
Explore the critical role of value engineering (VE) in plumbing systems with this comprehensive report, “Value Engineering in Plumbing Systems.” Discover how effective VE can optimize costs without compromising essential functions, while understanding the potential pitfalls through real-world examples like the costly Baltimore hotel case.
Learn from the insights of industry professionals who emphasize the importance of balancing cost with durability, safety, and sustainability. This report provides essential guidance for architects, engineers, and contractors on making informed decisions to maintain plumbing system integrity and avoid costly mistakes. Download the report today to enhance your approach to VE in plumbing projects.
EquityAdvancing Health and Equity through Better Building Products
Report
Habitable’s report, “Advancing Health and Equity through Better Building Products,” reveals the current state of building materials used, with nearly 70% of typical products in the categories analyzed containing or relying on the most hazardous chemicals.
The results, based on data for Minnesota affordable housing, are consistent with products used in other building types and geographic regions. The report highlights examples of leaders within and beyond Minnesota’s built environment who are already taking action toward safer material choices. It also provides guidance on how the real estate industry can begin working toward a healthier future by “stepping up from red-ranked products”—the most polluting and harmful throughout their life cycle based on Habitable’s research and Informed™ product guidance.
PollutionToxic Free Future
Report
Toxic-Free Future is a leading advocate for environmental health, leveraging science, education, and activism to promote strong laws and corporate responsibility that safeguard the health of individuals and the planet.
EquityLifetime Cost of Plastic 10 Times Higher for Low-Income Countries Than Rich Ones
Report
A new report reveals that low-income countries, despite using less plastic, face lifetime plastic costs that are ten times higher than those of wealthier nations.
This disparity highlights the structural inequities within the plastics value chain, where the burdens of plastic pollution fall disproportionately on those least equipped to address them, exacerbating the crisis. WWF urges all governments to adopt a treaty with harmonized, binding global rules to eliminate these inequities in our current take, make, and waste plastics system. Such a treaty is essential to ensure a fair and effective global response to plastic pollution.