Despite a growing scientific agreement, the “Make America Healthy Again” Health Report released earlier this month is not tackling plastic pollution, which poses one of the most significant, unregulated health threats in the U.S. Until lawmakers confront corporations, preventable illnesses will continue to afflict us.
In theory, there’s widespread agreement that Americans—particularly children—deserve better health. This is why Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” (Maha) Platform has garnered support from various political groups. Highlighting ultra-processed foods, pesticides, and toxic chemicals, Maha sheds light on the alarming rise in chronic diseases affecting the country.
However, the Maha report missed the mark. It appears to sidestep accountability, downplay the industry’s role, and shy away from addressing harmful chemicals that permeate our homes, schools, and food systems.
Plastics and their accompanying chemicals are ubiquitous. Research indicates that over 16,000 chemicals are associated with plastics, with roughly 25% known to pose risks to health and the environment—yet many haven’t been rigorously tested. Concerns range from disrupting endocrine functions to potential carcinogenic effects.
Microplastics and related chemicals have been found in human blood, lungs, breast milk, and even brain tissue, meaning exposure can start before birth. Common exposure pathways include intake, inhalation, and absorption from everyday items like food packaging, carpets, and personal care products.
Currently, only about 6% of these chemicals are regulated worldwide. In the U.S., existing food packaging regulations address merely a fraction of what’s available on the market today.
Alarmingly, about a quarter of plastic-related chemicals lack even basic identification, and over half don’t have crucial safety or functional data. While industries reap significant profits, the public is left unprotected and uninformed.
The Maha Report proposes a vague framework for studying chemical exposure (including microplastics), funding for safer agricultural practices, and raising public awareness about pesticides. However, it doesn’t name specific polluters or mandate that companies prove their products are safe before hitting the shelves.
This lack of a decisive approach demonstrates a larger failure in political leadership.
During recent negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty in Geneva, the U.S. under the Trump administration played a blocking role. While other nations pushed for limits on plastic production and harmful additives, U.S. representatives aligned with oil, chemical, and plastics lobbyists, resulting in a missed opportunity for impactful agreements to tackle plastic pollution.
Back home, both Maha and Maga express health concerns but do not challenge the companies primarily responsible for Americans’ health issues. Their approach has mostly been rhetorical, giving a pass to major polluters.
Trump’s tariff policies inadvertently benefited the fossil fuel sector, raising everyday costs for Americans. Petrochemicals and plastic polymers were shielded from steep tariffs, ensuring that plastic packaging remains cheap and pervasive. This led companies like Coca-Cola to cite these tariffs as a reason to increase plastic usage.
On a broader scale, the government has heightened the absurd reliance on plastic, issuing an executive order aimed at addressing “paper straw issues,” which served more as a public relations move than a practical solution.
The oil and gas sector has seized upon this moment, leaning heavily into plastic production as a way to sustain profit amid declining fossil fuel demand, but it is the public that bears the brunt of the costs. Plastic pollution is already causing an estimated $249 billion in health-related expenses each year in the U.S., a number likely to climb if unchecked production continues.
If Maha and Maga genuinely sought to improve American health, they would confront the businesses making us ill. They should advocate for a robust global plastic treaty, push for pre-market safety requirements for plastic chemicals, and phase out known hazardous substances.
Americans aren’t unaware of these issues. Polling indicates that a bipartisan majority is open to significant action for reducing plastic production and pollution. The public demands leaders willing to tackle tough issues, confront powerful industries, and prioritize health over petrochemical profits.
Unless accountability shifts back to businesses, the cycle of preventable illness will persist. Real change takes courage and proactive measures.
If Kennedy and his allies truly aim to make America healthier, they need to start regulating the industries causing our problems.
