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What connects toxic pigments with eternal fragments?

Toxic web hero illustration

The pattern is familiar: a new substance, a dazzling effect, and a slow realisation of harm.

In late 18th- and early 19th-century Paris, confectioners coloured their sweets with vivid pigments like red lead and sugar of lead1, masking acidity and spoilage. These dazzling treats were as beautiful as they were toxic.

Winemakers, meanwhile, had no qualms about ‘sweetening’ their wines with Saturn sugar (lead acetate), a slow acting but effective poison2.  

And in the markets of Naples3, butter mixed with dandelion flowers was sold to give it a deceptive shine.  

These practices prompted European states to create ‘medical police’ and develop chemical detection methods.  Yesterday’s poisons sparked the birth of food safety. Today’s are reshaping environmental and health regulation. 

  • Parallels abound

    Today, the parallels between these historical poisons and microplastics are starting to become all too apparent.

    Microplastics – tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimetres in size – are now pervasive in water, soil, and air. They originate from synthetic textiles, packaging, tires, paints4, and even personal care products like exfoliating scrubs and toothpaste5. Once released, they infiltrate ecosystems and food chains6, eventually making their way into human bodies through ingestion and inhalation7.

    Microplastics do not biodegrade; they fragment into ever smaller pieces, persisting for centuries and accumulating in living organisms8.

    Mounting evidence paints a troubling picture: these substances are increasingly tied to chronic inflammation, oxidative damage, hormonal disruption, and even life-altering cardiovascular and reproductive disorders9.

  • Businesses spanning multiple sectors are staring down an era of regulatory pressure, relentless scrutiny, mounting litigation risks and reputational landmines. The tide is turning fast: the EU, for example, has proposed sweeping restrictions on intentionally added microplastics10, and global negotiators are racing toward a legally binding plastics treaty11. 

    Repairing the damage 

    As boardrooms face the reality of forever chemicals in our everyday, insurance can step up and help shoulder the risk.

    By taking proactive measures and staying vigilant about environmental threats, businesses can weather the storm. Now that’s how you sweeten the future – safely. 

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