100,000 premature deaths caused by phthalates in plastic in the United States

 Phthalates present in plastic and early mortality are now associated. The study, made public Tuesday, demonstrates the link between these chemical compounds and deaths due to cardiovascular diseases or cancers. It also points to the cost of the loss of economic productivity resulting from the nearly 100,000 deaths per year attributable to these endocrine disruptors.

The presence of chemical compounds, called phthalates, in plastic materials and found in foods and everyday objects (food, clothing, cosmetics, toys...) could cause the premature death each year of 100,000 Americans aged 55 to 64, according to the study by the Grossman School of Medicine at New York University, published in the journal Environmental Pollution. 

These phthalates are considered endocrine disruptors harmful to health, but the direct link between exposure to these products and deaths from cardiovascular disease or cancer in the United States had not yet been established with certainty, says the study from the Grossman School of Medicine at New York University,  published in the journal Environmental Pollution. The researchers analyzed the effects of phthalate exposure on a population of 5,303 adults over the age of 20. The study and biological analyses (including urine) of the participants took place between 2001 and 2010 before the mortality statistics were dissected until the end of 2015. Data analyses were extracted in July 2020.

Act urgently

By "extrapolating (the results) to the age range of the U.S. Population aged 55 to 64, we identified 90,761 to 107,283 deaths attributable" to phthalate exposure, the study explains. "Our findings show that greater exposure to phthalates is linked to premature death, particularly from heart disease," said one of the authors, Leonardo Trasande, quoted in a statement.

Greater exposure to phthalates is linked to premature death

"Until now, we knew that chemicals caused cardiovascular disease, which is one of the leading causes of death. But we had not yet directly linked these chemicals to mortality," added the New York University scientist, who signed the work with two colleagues from the University of Iowa, Buyun Liu and Wei Bao.

The researchers also calculated the economic cost of these premature deaths to the United States, in terms of productivity losses: "from $39.9 billion to $47.1 billion per year," they said. "Further studies will need to corroborate these observations and identify the mechanisms (at work), but regulators need to act urgently," the New York University study argues.