Overview
- A global study by NYU Langone Health found that DEHP exposure contributed to 356,238 cardiovascular deaths worldwide in 2018, including 13.5% of heart disease deaths among people aged 55 to 64.
- Regions like South Asia, the Middle East, and East Asia and the Pacific experienced the highest burden, with up to 17% of cardiovascular deaths in some areas linked to the chemical.
- DEHP, a phthalate used to make plastics flexible, disrupts hormones, alters metabolism, and triggers inflammation, leading to cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks and strokes.
- The study estimates that DEHP exposure cost the world 10.47 million years of life lost and imposed an economic burden between $10.2 billion and $3.74 trillion in 2018 alone.
- Experts and advocates are urging swift regulatory reforms to limit DEHP use and recommending personal measures, such as switching to glass containers and avoiding heating plastic, to reduce exposure risks.