A study links chemical in plastics to cardiovascular disease. Experts say there are ways to reduce risks.

Researchers have linked a harmful chemical in plastic to hundreds of thousands of deaths from heart disease worldwide, and even as pervasive as plastic is, local experts said there are ways for people to reduce their risk to the toxin.

In 2018, 356,238 people around the world died of cardiovascular disease attributed to phthalates, specifically di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, or DEHP, which is often used to make plastic more flexible, according to the recent study published in the journal eBioMedicine. Nearly 350,000 of those deaths were connected to the use of plastics, according to the researchers at New York University Grossman School of Medicine who conducted the study. They found that 13.4% of all cardiovascular deaths among people between the ages of 55 to 64 were attributed to DEHP exposure.

"Plastics pose a significant risk to increased cardiovascular mortality," the study states, stressing the "need for urgent global and local regulatory interventions to kerb [sic] mortality from DEHP exposure."

But medical and environmental advocates say there are some simple changes that can help people minimize their exposure, including using glass food containers instead of plastic ones. Plastic, they said, should not be microwaved or heated because chemicals can leach into food, advocates said. People should not drink from bottles that have been heated by the sun, strive to reuse coffee cups and simply avoid buying plastic products when possible. 

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment in Farmingdale, said small behavioral changes can have a "significant benefit" for the public.

"We need industry moving away from packaging our food in plastic," she added. If passed, a bill in Albany would also help limit toxic chemicals in plastic, Esposito said. 

DEHP is commonly used in the production of polyvinyl chloride, also called PVC, in products like pipes, construction materials and electrical wiring. It is also found in items including food packaging, toys and personal care products, such as some perfumes and shampoos, experts said. 

Medical and environmental advocates said the study adds to the growing body of evidence that shows phthalates have adverse health effects, including disrupting endocrine and metabolic systems, and causing oxidative stress and cardiovascular issues. 

Dr. Kenneth Spaeth, division chief of occupational and environmental medicine at Northwell Health on Long Island, who was not involved in the study, said "these chemicals end up contaminating much of our world, both as plastic itself and also as phthalates. This is a widespread issue and a very, very important public health issue."

Among the handful of health tips, Spaeth said it’s important to dust regularly to eliminate phthalates that might have migrated from any products.

"Everything we do in terms of improving our lifestyle choices and trying to be healthier adds up and is worth pursuing and worth choosing," Spaeth said.

People are exposed to chemicals in plastics through various ways, including when chemicals leach and/or migrate from products and enter the air and dust in homes, experts said. DEHP has been found at landfill sites and in groundwater near waste disposal facilities, and in air, the Department of Health and Human Services previously published. According to the federal agency, DEHP has been "reasonably anticipated" to be a carcinogen.

At least one scientist said reducing exposure is not so straightforward. David Tonjes, a research associate professor with the Department of Technology and Society at Stony Brook University, said it's important to be aware that using plastic comes with a health cost but because plastic is so pervasive "figuring out how to tread lighter is really difficult." 

In New York, almost 3.8 million tons of packaging waste will be generated this year, according to Beyond Plastics, a nonprofit advocacy group operating through Bennington College.

Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a former Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator, said it’s particularly concerning how much food comes in contact with DEHP.

"You want to do everything possible to avoid plastic packaging," Enck said.

In New York, a bill known as the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act would make businesses with a net revenue of over $5 million responsible for recycling and reducing packaging waste. The bill also hopes to phase out at least 17 harmful chemicals in packaging, including certain phthalates. 

Enck said the study should convince Albany legislators to pass the bill. 

"The health risk is twofold. It's the toxins in the plastic, but there's also the added risk of microplastics, pieces of plastics that we swallow," she said. "We have enough information to act."

By Lorena Mongelli

lorena.mongelli@newsday.com

Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.