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Study Finds Plastic Chemicals in 86% of 312 Bay Area Foods, 13% Exceed Safety Limits, Linked to Hundreds of Thousands of Deaths

Dec 27, 2024, 08:42 PM

A recent study conducted by a San Francisco-based team has revealed that plastic chemicals are present in 86% of the 312 packaged foods and drinks tested in the Bay Area. The research, part of the PlasticList project led by Nat Friedman, found that 73% of the tested products contained phthalates, while bisphenols were detected in 22%. Alarmingly, 13% of the foods tested had plastic chemical levels exceeding the safety limits set by the FDA and EFSA. This study highlights the widespread issue of plastic contamination in food, linking chemical exposures from common plastic products to hundreds of thousands of deaths globally. The findings underscore concerns regarding the impact of microplastic pollution on health, including risks of cancer and infertility, as noted in a review of 3,000 studies. The report aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of harmful chemicals in everyday food items.