Gender

( A B C E F G H I L M O P R S T W Z
Women sorting plastic trash

People are affected differently by the toxins contained in plastic. Biological reasons are part of the problem, but also social inequalities and predefined gender roles. Female bodies are more sensitive to some toxic chemicals, especially during certain life stages. But exposure to toxins and pollutants is also higher in the low-wage sector, and in – often poor – communities located near petrochemical plants, landfills or incinerators.
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Combatting Global Plastic Pollution (2026)

Published: 20 April 2026
Policy Brief
Plastic pollution is not gender neutral. At oil and gas extraction sites, women and Black, Indigenous and People of Color lose their livelihoods. In factories, workers absorb endocrine-disrupting chemicals. In landfills in the Global South, those with the least power sort toxic waste with bare hands. The plastic crisis runs along the fault lines of gender and global inequality. The briefing presents feminist perspectives for a gender-just approach to the plastic crisis.





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