More than 16,000 chemicals are used in plastics, and a quarter are of concern
The PlastChem report found far more chemicals in plastics than regulators assumed, with over 4,200 hazardous and fewer than 6% regulated internationally.
Chemicals and additives
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EU cuts the ‘safe’ dose of bisphenol A (BPA) 20,000-fold and then bans it in food packaging
The European Food Safety Authority concluded that dietary BPA exposure exceeds the new safe level by hundreds of times in every age group.
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heart-disease deaths a year linked to the plasticiser di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
DEHP is a chemical added to make plastic soft and flexible. It was linked to 13.5% of all cardiovascular deaths among 55–64-year-olds worldwide in…
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chemicals used in plastics
PlastChem identified 16,325 chemicals in plastics; more than 4,200 are of concern and fewer than 6% are regulated internationally.
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plastic chemicals classed as ‘of concern’
About 26% of known plastic chemicals are of concern. They last a long time in the environment, build up in living things, spread easily…