Trend Novel entities released faster than they can be tested

Summary

The novel entities boundary tracks the share of human-made or human-mobilized substances, such as synthetic chemicals, plastics, pesticides and PFASs, released without adequate safety testing, and the precautionary boundary is set at zero. That share has exceeded the boundary since large-scale chemical production began, and the transgression has deepened as output has soared in both volume and variety. Institutional capacity to test, regulate and monitor these substances has failed to keep up. Indicators for plastic production, pesticide use, PFAS emissions and antimicrobial resistance are all trending upward. Many substances persist, spread globally and accumulate in organisms, causing long-lasting or irreversible harm to ecosystems, food, water, health and other boundaries. Because testing everything before release is impossible, the current control variable is hard to act on, and alternatives covering production, release, accumulation and impacts are being developed.