Chemicals commonly used in plastic pose a serious threat to children, raising the risk of disability and disease long into adulthood.
Chemicals commonly used in plastic pose a serious threat to children, raising the risk of disability and disease long into adulthood. That is the conclusion of a sprawling review of hundreds of studies on the harms of plastics.
For the review, scientists analyzed decades of research into the impact on pregnant mothers, fetuses, and children of three chemical additives — phthalates, bisphenols, and perfluoroalkyl substances — that make plastic more flexible, more rigid, or more resistant to heat or water.
Children are prone to consuming chemicals unleashed from a range of everyday plastic goods, from toys to food packaging. The review found that early exposure to these chemicals can leave children at greater risk of heart disease, obesity, infertility, and asthma well into adolescence and adulthood. Plastic additives are also believed to affect the development of the brain, with studies linking the chemicals to lower IQ, ADHD, and autism. The review was published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.
Read More: YaleEnvironment360
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