Buildings’ Hidden Plastic Problem

In this brief, we present 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. We share examples of solutions and offer recommendations to strengthen policies that will reduce plastic use in the built environment and associated life cycle harms.