Novel Entities (manufactured chemicals)
The definition of this boundary is now restricted to truly novel anthropogenic introductions (e.g. manufactured chemicals) to the Earth system.
The boundary discussed here concerns new things humans have introduced to the Earth's system. This area includes man-made chemicals (like microplastics and endocrine disruptors), radioactive materials from nuclear activities, organic pollutants, and human changes to evolution, such as genetically modified organisms. These new things are seen as markers of humans' impact on the Earth, known as the Anthropocene (Waters et al., 2016). The concern is that these new entities could have:
Effects on humanity, which we are only just learning about (Lane et al., 2024; Ravi Naidu, 2021), and
Unknown effects on the Earth's overall systems.
In a significant review of this boundary, Persson (Linn Persson) clearly states, "We submit that the safe operating space of the planetary boundary of novel entities is exceeded since annual production and releases are increasing at a pace that outstrips the global capacity for assessment and monitoring."
The focus is on how stable and resilient the Earth's system is, not just on human or ecosystem health. The challenge is understanding how much of these new entities the Earth can handle before changing into a less habitable state. Many synthetic chemicals are being produced and released into the environment without a clear understanding of their long-term effects. There have been cases where unexpected consequences have occurred, like with DDT and CFCs harming the ozone layer. The idea is that the safest approach would be to limit the release of these synthetic chemicals unless they have been proven harmless and are monitored. This approach aims to prevent harmful effects on the Earth's system. However, there are challenges, such as incomplete data and limited studies on the overall effects of these chemicals on the environment. The goal is to reduce the risk of adverse impacts by thoroughly testing these synthetic chemicals before releasing them into the environment.
MANA and what we can do
MANA members can act significantly by minimising Ultra-processed food (UPF) and plastic usage and considering such things as make-up, chemicals used in clothing, etc.
A "What you can do" section and advice will now be featured regularly in the newsletters, with updates on science entered into the Planetary Boundaries section of the MANA website (mindfullnessandnature.com.au).