The cost of phthalate exposure
Despite the known health risks of a class of chemicals known as phthalates, they continue to infiltrate food products.
Phthalates — derived from petroleum — are used in the production of plastics and were once commonly included in food packaging, according to a news article from The Washington Post. Early research in the 1980s identified reproductive harms and birth defects caused by phthalates. Nonetheless, limited regulatory action permitted the continued use of phthalates in plastics manufacturing. While food manufacturers have since ceased incorporating the chemicals into food packaging, the continued use of phthalates in factory settings, medical equipment, vinyl flooring, cosmetics, adhesives, paints and automobiles has led to their dispersal into ultraprocessed foods and the environment.
Since the initial discovery of the potential harms of phthalate exposure, researchers have made connections between the chemicals and a range of adverse effects — including preterm birth, infertility, neurodevelopmental issues such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, cardiovascular disease-related mortality and breast cancer.
Estimates have suggested that the costs of phthalate-related diseases may be triple that of costs related to forever chemical-related health effects. As a result, researchers and advocacy groups called for the banning of phthalates to reduce public exposure and mitigate health issues associated with the chemical. Only beginning in 2016 were regulators responsible for reexamining the safety of chemicals that were introduced prior to the knowledge of their harms
and developing practices to manage their risks. Clear evidence of harm, which can be difficult to prove, is needed before a chemical can be restricted. However, a recent program has aimed to take a different approach to banning chemicals by identifying safer alternatives for replacement.
Read more: The Washington Post
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