"Daily exposure to certain chemicals used to manufacture household plastics may be connected to more than 356,000 cardiovascular-related deaths in 2018 alone, a new analysis has found.

These chemicals, called phthalates, are present in products around the world but have particular popularity in the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific — regions that collectively bore about 75 percent of the global death total, according to the research, published on Tuesday in the Lancet eBioMedicine.

“Our findings add to the vast body of evidence that these chemicals present a tremendous danger to human health,” lead author Sara Hyman, an associate research scientist at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, said in a statement.

Phthalates, often used in personal care products, children’s toys and food packaging and processing materials, are known to disrupt hormone function and have been linked to birth defects, infertility, learning disabilities and neurological disorders."

Sharon Udasin reports for The Hill April 29, 2025. [2]