New research shows that plastic waste creates a perfect breeding environment for disease-carrying mosquitoes. The ubiquity of plastics, particularly microplastics, and their effects on human health make this an issue of pressing public health concern, both in the developing world and in the industrialized world. Microplastics have been shown to accumulate in the lungs, increase cancer risk, cause inflammation and oxidative stress, and adversely affect the immune system. Read more.