Chemicals in plastics linked to newborn deaths, premature births: Research

Two chemicals commonly used to make plastics more flexible are connected to newborn deaths and premature births, according to a study released Monday.

According to the study, published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, two chemicals, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP), were notably linked to newborn deaths and premature births.

The study looked at data from 2018, estimating close to 1.97 million worldwide premature births in connection with DEHP, or 8.74 percent of all premature births. DEHP was also estimated to be linked to 74,000 newborn deaths, per the study.

DINP was also estimated to be linked to 1.88 million premature births and 64,000 newborn deaths in 2018.

An analysis from last spring also found that daily exposure to the same type of chemicals could be linked to over 350,000 cardiovascular-related deaths in 2018. The chemicals, called phthalates, are often used in personal care products, children’s toys and food packaging and processing materials.

Phthalates have been known to disrupt hormone function and have been linked to birth defects, infertility, learning disabilities and neurological disorders. 

“As treaty negotiations to regulate phthalates move forward, further estimation of the vast costs of the plastics industry are needed, and strong regulatory measures to phthalates as a class should be considered,” the study published Tuesday reads.