Daily exposure to certain chemicals used to make plastic household items could be linked to the more than 356,000 global deaths from heart disease that occurred in 2018 alone, a new analysis of population surveys shows.
Although the chemicals, called phthalates, are in widespread use globally, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific bore a much larger share of the death toll than others—about three-fourths of the total.
For decades, experts have connected health problems to exposure to certain phthalates found in cosmetics, detergents, solvents, plastic pipes, bug repellants, and other products. These chemicals break down into microscopic particles and are ingested, and studies have linked such exposure to an increased risk of conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes to fertility issues and cancer. CONTINUE READING