ICYMI: Top Scientist from "The Plastic Detox" Netflix Movie & Judith Enck in New York Daily News

ALBANY, NY (03/27/2026) (readMedia)-- This morning, the New York Daily News published an op-ed co-written by reproductive epidemiologist Shanna Swan, who is featured in the new Netflix documentary "The Plastic Detox," and Judith Enck, former EPA regional administrator and president of Beyond Plastics. The op-ed explains how chemicals in plastic are associated with fertility issues, and how Albany lawmakers have the chance to support prospective parents by passing the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act this year (PRRIA - S1464 Harckham/A1749 Glick). The pair write:

"The film specifically puts two groups of chemicals found in plastics under the microscope: phthalates and bisphenols. Phthalates are used in food packaging, children's toys, shower curtains, and more. Exposure to phthalates affects sperm quality, chances of conception, ovulation function, and the risk of miscarriage.

Bisphenols, like bisphenol A (BPA), are associated with both male and female infertility, with high exposure linked to decreased egg quality, PCOS, ovarian issues, and lower sperm counts. BPA is found in plastic water bottles, food storage containers, aluminum drink cans, plastic bottle caps, paper receipts, and more. Even the smallest levels of exposure can have profound effects.

Without sufficient policies from the federal government, it's up to states to protect their people. The New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act would not only reduce plastic packaging, but also phase out 17 toxic chemicals and substances - including phthalates and bisphenols - that touches our food and beverages."

Read the full op-ed here and below, and watch "The Plastic Detox" on Netflix this weekend or at any time.

Too many plastics harms our fertility

New York Daily News

March 27, 2026

By Shanna Swan and Judith Enck

A new documentary suggests that chemicals in plastic is making it harder for couples to conceive. Released on March 16, "The Plastic Detox" follows six couples who have unexplained infertility as they "detox" from plastic to see if it changes their health and fertility.

These couples aren't alone in their unsuccessful attempts to have children. Plastic has been a fixture in our lives for the past 60 years, and during this time fertility has dropped globally by more than 50%, prompting scientists to ask why.

Unfortunately, plastic is in just about everything. We are eating it, drinking it, and breathing it. Plastic products and packaging don't degrade but instead break up into tiny pieces that scientists have found in human lungs, brain, testicles, placenta, breast milk, and more.

Even more concerning than the plastic bits in our organs is the chemicals that come with them. More than 16,000 chemicals are found in plastics and these chemicals can leach out of plastic and into our food and bodies.

As the film explains, "Many people think the government takes care of us, but very few chemicals are actually banned from personal care products." Chemicals found in plastics have been associated with cancer, nervous system damage, hormone disruption, obesity, and fertility issues.

The film specifically puts two groups of chemicals found in plastics under the microscope: phthalates and bisphenols. Phthalates are used in food packaging, children's toys, shower curtains, and more. Exposure to phthalates affects sperm quality, chances of conception, ovulation function, and the risk of miscarriage.

Bisphenols, like bisphenol A (BPA), are associated with both male and female infertility, with high exposure linked to decreased egg quality, PCOS, ovarian issues, and lower sperm counts. BPA is found in plastic water bottles, food storage containers, aluminum drink cans, plastic bottle caps, paper receipts, and more. Even the smallest levels of exposure can have profound effects.

Without sufficient policies from the federal government, it's up to states to protect their people. The New York Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act would not only reduce plastic packaging, but also phase out 17 toxic chemicals and substances - including phthalates and bisphenols - that touches our food and beverages.

Introduced by state Sen. Pete Harckham and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, PRRIA is the most comprehensive bill in the nation and New Yorkers are unsurprisingly backing it. A bipartisan 73% of New York voters are in favor of the packaging-reduction bill. More than 300 organizations and businesses, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, support it. The legislation passed the Senate in both 2024 and 2025 but then failed to come up for a vote on the Assembly floor.

The only thing standing in the way of progress is the powerful plastics and fossil fuel lobbyists - hired by the same companies responsible for polluting our planet and bodies with plastic and its toxic chemicals. Mega-corporations like ExxonMobil, Shell, McDonald's, Amazon, and Coca-Cola put their lobbying power behind fighting the packaging-reduction bill last year, and this year is no different.

Everyone deserves the right to a family, and lawmakers can help prospective parents avoid exposure to chemicals that hurt fertility. It is time people were prioritized over industry profits. Albany legislators have a responsibility to their constituents to pass the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act - now.

Swan is an epidemiologist featured in the new documentary, "The Plastic Detox." Enck is Beyond Plastics' president, a former EPA regional administrator, and the author of the book "The Problem with Plastic."

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