Topics
phthalates
June 15, 2026
International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) publishes report series with details of bisphenol and phthalate pollution, research, and regulations for 20 countries; country situation reports developed with local civil society organizations; series includes Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Congo, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Tanzania, and others
Topics: Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, bisphenols, Brazil, Cameroon, Congo, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Philippines, phthalates, Serbia, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia
Reading time: 2 minutes
April 20, 2026
Scientists estimate that nearly 2 million preterm births and 74’000 newborn deaths globally in 2018 can be attributed to di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP); similar results for diisononyl phthalate (DINP); burden is highest in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa; authors recommend regulating phthalates as a chemical class
Reading time: 2 minutes
January 26, 2026
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes new dietary guidelines for Americans; notes health risks of highly processed foods and their packaging; calls for further research to fill knowledge gaps about chemicals in food and health
Reading time: 2 minutes
January 16, 2026
Report from Systemiq evaluates health and ecological impacts of synthetic pesticides, bisphenols, phthalates, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food systems; estimates annual health and ecological costs of 3 trillion USD annually; offers measures to reduce costs by 1.9 trillion USD per year
Reading time: 2 minutes
January 8, 2026
US EPA publishes risk evaluations of five phthalates; concludes they pose a risk to human health and the environment including endocrine disruption; specifically concerned about workers’ exposure; plans to develop protection measures
Reading time: 2 minutes
August 22, 2025
First global estimate of premature cardiovascular mortality due to phthalates; finds di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) exposure contributed globally to 356,238 deaths in 2018 among people aged 55-64; cardiovascular mortality burden higher in the Asia-Pacific region
Topics: human health, phthalates
Reading time: 2 minutes
July 23, 2025
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) annual report identifies gluten-containing biodegradable materials as one of seven emerging risks; three other issues about food packaging marked as possible concerns but need more information
Reading time: 2 minutes
January 16, 2025
Consumer project Plasticlist analyzes hundreds of food and beverage samples from the California Bay Area for 18 plastic chemicals; finds plastic chemicals in 86% of samples; highly processed foods contain more plastic chemicals; questions whether regulatory limits adequately protect human health; calls for further research
Reading time: 3 minutes
January 9, 2025
Public interest groups file lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over its refusal to address previous petitions to ban specific phthalates in food contact materials
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 19, 2024
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) objects two petitions advocating for removing diallyl phthalate and 28 ortho-phthalates from authorization due to insufficient evidence to modify the ruling form 2022
Reading time: 2 minutes
