Scientists discovered a disease that only exists because of plastic, and it's already scarring wildlife from the inside

Researchers have identified a disease that didn't exist before the age of plastic. Called plasticosis, the condition causes severe scarring in the digestive systems of wildlife that ingest plastic debris, according to a March 2023 study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.

The groundbreaking research, led by scientists from the Natural History Museum in London and Australian institutions, marks the first time a fibrotic disease has been directly attributed to plastic consumption. The findings have significant implications for wildlife populations worldwide as plastic pollution continues to spread through ecosystems.

What the research revealed

Scientists examined flesh-footed shearwaters on Lord Howe Island, Australia, a remote location where the seabirds regularly ingest plastic fragments floating in the ocean. The birds' digestive tracts showed extensive scarring and tissue damage directly correlated with the amount of plastic found in their systems.

"The more plastic a bird had ingested, the more scarring they had," Dr. Alex Bond, principal curator of birds at the Natural History Museum, explained to the museum's press office. The scarring occurs in the proventriculus, the first part of a bird's stomach, where tissue becomes so damaged it can no longer function properly.

Unlike diseases caused by viruses or bacteria, plasticosis is entirely anthropogenic, meaning it was created by human activity. The condition represents an alarming new category of wildlife illness that simply could not have existed before widespread plastic production began in the mid-20th century.

How plastic causes permanent damage

When seabirds ingest plastic debris, the sharp edges and chemical compounds create ongoing irritation in the digestive tract. Over time, this leads to chronic inflammation and the formation of scar tissue, a process called fibrosis.

According to Dr. Jennifer Lavers, co-author of the study and head of Adrift Lab, the damage affects birds' ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. Young birds are particularly vulnerable because their parents unknowingly feed them plastic fragments, according to The Guardian.

The researchers found that even birds with relatively small amounts of plastic in their systems showed signs of the disease. This suggests there may be no safe threshold for plastic ingestion, as any amount can potentially cause harm.

A warning sign for other species

While the study focused on flesh-footed shearwaters, scientists believe plasticosis likely affects many other species. Seabirds were examined first because they're known to ingest large quantities of plastic, but marine mammals, fish, and sea turtles face similar exposure risks.

According to Scientific American, plasticosis could signal a new era of plastic-induced disease affecting wildlife globally. As plastic production continues to increase, the potential for similar conditions in other species grows alongside it.

The flesh-footed shearwater population on Lord Howe Island has already declined significantly, and researchers point to plastic pollution as a contributing factor to their endangered status.

What's next

Scientists are now investigating whether similar fibrotic conditions occur in other species and ecosystems. The discovery of plasticosis adds urgency to global efforts to reduce plastic waste, particularly single-use items that frequently end up in oceans.

The research team has called for expanded wildlife health monitoring and more aggressive policies to limit plastic production and improve waste management. With millions of tonnes of plastic entering the world's oceans each year, plasticosis may be just one of many plastic-induced health crises emerging in wildlife populations.