Exposure to three chemicals found in many everyday household and industrial products may contribute to millions of cases of heart disease, stroke and death over the years, according to estimates of the effects of health and economics of common plastic additives.
An international team of researchers pooled findings from more than 1,700 existing studies from 38 different countries investigating links between human exposure to chemicals and specific health effects. .
Researchers argue that the results are about enough to provide global action, but critics say we still need solid evidence that these chemicals are the real cause.
Suspects in question – BPA (bisphenol A), DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate) and PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) – have been linked to serious health problems.
The safety of BPA has been questioned for some time: it is widespread in our food packaging, especially in the epoxy system that lines food and drink cans and bottles, exposure to this compound is associated with high doses of ischemic heart disease and stroke. .
This latest study found 5.4 million cases of ischemic heart disease and 346,000 cases of stroke in 2015 could be linked to BPA exposure. That suggests that BPA exposure may be linked to 431,000 deaths. Estimates of the total economic impact suggest the resulting loss of health could cost countries the equivalent of US$1 trillion in purchasing power.
DEHP is present in flexible plastics such as garden hoses, shower curtains, medical tubing, and synthetic leather.
Animal studies have shown its potential as an endocrine disruptor, affecting pregnancy in mice and puberty in rats. A study published back in 2022 found a significant correlation between increased levels of DEHP metabolites in the urine samples of 5303 US adults and an increased rate of death. This latest study estimates that 164,000 deaths worldwide can be linked to DEHP exposure, with an estimated $398 billion in equivalent economic losses.
PBDEs are a group of brominated flame retardants that are controversial behind the advice to throw away your black plastic spatula. It is common in materials exposed to high temperatures, and is also present in electronics, automotive parts, aircraft and certain textiles.
They can enter your body through inhalation, absorption through the skin, or through your food – which is an invisible route, but it has appeared in dishes, food packaging, and children’s toys made of plastic. recycled black plastic.
The relationship between PBDE exposure and measures of intelligence suggests aA combined 12 million IQ points are likely lost due to maternal PBDE exposure.
Increasing influence, it seems, is negative. BPA and DEHP may be eliminated from the body quickly after several days, but the continuous flow of plastics into our lives means that we have little respite from their exposure. The ‘sticking’ of PBDEs in our bodies is not clear, and depends on the specific chemical structure.
“Our rationale for quantifying these health effects was to focus on the harms associated with three well-studied chemicals in plastic and to estimate exposure in as many countries as possible. ,” says Maureen Cropper, an economist at the University of Maryland.
All of the study’s estimates rely heavily on data from existing studies, making it difficult to ascertain causality. Another unrelated factor may be increasing people’s exposure to chemicals as well as their health problems – eating too much fast food, for example, can increase a person’s likelihood of using Plastics are also known to increase the risk of heart disease.
Statistician Kevin McConway, who was not involved in the research, urges caution about how the results are interpreted..
“I’m not trying to say that these plastics don’t pose significant health risks, but it’s just that these studies can’t make it clear how much illness and high death rates they cause,” McConway that said.
But Cropper and the team think there is more than enough data to provide a global response, although there is a need for more information about our exposure to these substances. If these plastic compounds are really making people sick, estimates show that they may have killed half a million people.
“Protection of human health against chemical hazards in plastic will require a paradigm shift in national chemical law in many countries including the United States, Canada and the EU.,” the group writes, urging plastic manufacturers to take responsibility for providing evidence.
They note that this has been the norm in pharmaceutical management since the 1970s.
“It will require a more careful approach that prioritizes the protection of human health and does not assume that chemicals are safe. “
The paper is printed on PNAS.
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