Study Warns of Growing Fossil Carbon 'Time Bomb' in Human-Made Goods

Researchers find billions of tons of fossil carbon stored in products and infrastructure, raising concerns over future emissions and waste management.

A study published in *Cell Reports Sustainability* estimates that 8.4 billion tons of fossil carbon were added to human-made products between 1995 and 2019, a figure equivalent to 30 billion tons of CO2 if released into the atmosphere.
The technosphere, encompassing all human-made materials, is growing faster than fossil fuel emissions, with 400 million tons of fossil carbon added annually to items like plastics, buildings, and roads.
Roughly one-third of fossil carbon-based products are incinerated annually, releasing emissions, while another third ends up in landfills, which can act as temporary carbon sinks but pose environmental risks.
The study highlights the rising dependency on fossil fuel-derived materials, with plastics and rubber accounting for 30% of accumulated fossil carbon and construction materials like bitumen contributing 24%.
Researchers call for improved recycling, extended product lifespans, and reduced consumption to mitigate the environmental impact of these materials and prevent further carbon leakage.