Heart Disease Deaths are Being Linked to Chemical Widely Used in Plastics

    In a recent study conducted by NYU Health, researchers discovered that daily exposure to a chemical called di-ethyl-hexyl phthalate(DEHP) could be linked 356,000 global deaths from heart disease in 2018 alone. These phthalate chemicals are used globally, and are often found in cosmetics, detergents, solvents, plastic pipes, bug repellants, and other products. So when these chemicals break down and are ingested, the risk of conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes to fertility issues and cancer increase. DEHP, the chemical the study focused on, is used to make food containers, medical equipment, and other softer plastic that's more flexible. Research shows that exposure to DEHP prompts inflammation in the arteries of the heart which can build up over time, causing a stroke or heart attack. It was also concluded that DEHP is responsible for 13% of the global mortality rate from heart disease in men and women ages 55-64. By finding correlation between DHEP and a leading cause of death in the world, adds more evidence to the argument that these kinds of chemicals are dangerous to people and should no longer be used. In a previous study, it was also identified that phthalates were responsible for 50,000 premature deaths due to heart disease each year. DEHP related deaths in the United States are rather low, but for countries with less production restrictions, like China and India, the mortality rates are as high as ~50%. Results from this study should encourage more global action to reduce exposure to these chemicals, especially in areas affected by industrialization and plastic consumption. This analysis wasn't designed to establish that DEHP directly or alone caused heart disease and that higher death risks did not take into account other types of phthalates. Therefore leaving researchers to believe the mortality rate related to these chemicals to be much higher.