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3w ago

Study Links Plastic Chemical DEHP to 356,000 Cardiovascular Deaths in 2018

Researchers call for urgent regulatory action and individual steps to reduce exposure to the harmful plasticizer found in common consumer and medical products.

Woman packing healthy vegetables in plastic airtight food containers. High resolution 42Mp indoors digital capture taken with SONY A7rII and Zeiss Batis 40mm F2.0 CF lens
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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.