The United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution recently met in South Korea to agree on a new plastics treaty. However, they couldn’t come to a consensus and will have to schedule follow-up talks. Research published right around the time of the meeting highlights the urgency of the issue, though, showing that tackling plastic pollution may also help tackle breast cancer.

Research recently published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters looked at 920 chemicals that are relevant to breast cancer, meaning they’ve been found to cause mammary tumors in mice or they have estrogen or progesterone-disrupting effects. The latter are linked with breast cancer, and an uptick in breast cancer cases in women under 50 is largely due to an increase in estrogen receptor-positive tumors.

The study, conducted by Silent Spring Institute, found that 414 of these breast cancer relevant chemicals can be found in plastics, in items like food packaging and personal care products. Ninety-eight have been found to cause mammary tumors in mice, while 149 activate the estrogen receptor.

The team pinpointed 175 chemicals that they say should be regulated and reduced based on their tumor-causing potential, strong hormonal activity, and their broad worldwide production.

The study authors write, “We recognize the multidimensional importance of the UN Treaty to reduce plastic pollution. Here we argue that the treaty could specifically have a major impact on reducing breast cancer globally. We encourage scientists and policymakers involved in this effort to prioritize potential breast carcinogens to decrease the burden of cancers. Action on limited-data chemicals as well as those with extensive evidence is vital. We urge regulators, including those participating in the UN conference, to use the integrated data sources and innovative frameworks described here to classify and reduce hazards instead of allowing possible carcinogens to accumulate in our bodies and cause harm.”

Reducing plastic pollution in general is also important for the planet. Roughly 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from plastic products, and microplastics have been found from the tundra to coral reefs, in tap water, in our food, and in human organs.

Where is the UN committee in terms of their negotiations? Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, says, “Negotiators have reached a greater degree of convergence on the structure and elements of the treaty text, as well as a better understanding of country positions and shared challenges. But it is clear there is persisting divergence in critical areas and more time is needed for these areas to be addressed.”