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Exposure to chemicals in plastic food containers, toiletries and children’s toys can lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, a new study suggests.
Researchers believe that phthalates may contribute to up to 107,000 premature deaths among 55- to 65-year-olds in the US each year.
The findings fuel growing safety concerns about the harmful effect of the gender-bending chemicals, which are added to products to make them more flexible or last longer.
Over the past decade, phthalates have been linked to infertility, obesity and impaired development. Its use is restricted in some countries.
Exposure to chemicals found in plastic food containers, toiletries and children’s toys can contribute to hundreds of thousands of fatalities each year, say researchers at NYU Langone Health.
Lead author Dr. Leonardo Trasande, of NYU Langone Health in New York City, said the study “strengthens public health and business cases for reducing or eliminating plastic use.”
He admitted that more research would be needed to provide conclusive evidence that the chemicals cause early death, as well as the mechanism for how this happens.
But Trasande warned that such studies will never happen because they “cannot ethically randomize people for exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.”
Phthalates are used to make plastics more sustainable and are found in hundreds of products, such as floors, plastic packaging and garden tools.
Humans consume them by eating and transporting food that has come into contact with phthalate particles, or by inhaling them.
Young children can also ingest them by crawling and touching many things and then putting their hands in their mouths.
Once the chemicals are consumed, they are broken down and leave the body through the urine – and this is how they can be detected.
Levels are higher in women, which experts say is due to the use of cosmetic products.
People consume them by eating and drinking food that has come into contact with phthalate particles, or by inhaling them (reusable containers shown are a safe alternative to their plastic counterparts)
For the study, researchers surveyed 5,303 adults ages 55 to 64 who participated in a health survey in the US, which took place between 2001 and 2010.
Volunteers were asked to provide urine samples so that their phthalate levels could be measured.
Their information was then linked to death rates among the group up to 2015.
Those with higher levels of the chemical in their bodies were more likely to die prematurely from any cause, especially cardiovascular problems, according to their study, which was published in the journal Environmental pollution.
When extrapolating the findings to the population of Americans aged 55 to 64, 90,761 to 107,283 deaths could be attributed to the chemicals.
This amounts to $39.9-$47.1 billion (£29.3-£34.5 billion) in lost economic productivity, researchers say.
Trasande, professor of pediatrics, environmental medicine and public health, said: CNN the chemicals “have a criminal record” and all studies on them “prohibit a terrifying pattern of concern.”
He said: ‘We already know that phthalates mess with the male sex hormone, testosterone, which is a predictor of cardiovascular disease in adults.
People can reduce their exposure to phthalates and other problematic chemicals — such as BPA, which is found in plastic food containers and drinking bottles — by avoiding plastic, the experts say.
“And we already know that these exposures can contribute to multiple conditions associated with mortality, such as obesity and diabetes.”
Phthalates were coined by the EU as ‘gender-bender’ chemicals more than a decade ago after studies showed they can harm hormone levels in children, especially in boys due to lower testosterone levels, reduced sperm count and a higher risk of testicular cancer to cause.
The US, EU, Canada, Israel, Brazil, Hong Kong, Australia and China have restricted or banned the use of the chemicals in toys.
But the researchers have called for further action to prevent food from coming into contact with phthalates.
dr. However, Trasande noted that the findings only show an association between the chemicals and a higher risk of death and are not definitive.
“It’s a snapshot and can only show an association,” he added.
People can reduce their exposure to phthalates and other problematic chemicals — such as BPA, which is found in plastic food containers and drinking bottles — by avoiding plastic, the experts said.
Reheating plastic — such as by putting it in the microwave or dishwasher — should also be avoided, they said, as it causes harmful chemicals to break down and be more easily consumed.
Exposure can also be reduced by using unscented toiletries and cleaning products, using non-plastic containers to store food, and washing hands regularly to remove chemicals.
The American Chemistry Council, the industry association for chemical companies, told CNN that many of the findings are “demonstrably inaccurate.”
The research groups put all the phthalates together “and failed to mention that the industry says that high molecular weight phthalates such as DINP and DIDP have lower toxicity than other phthalates,” it said.