FDA allows use of toxic chemicals to continue to be used in food packaging

The Food and Drug Administration has decided that food manufacturers can keep using phthalates, a class of toxic chemicals, in food packaging and food production equipment. It disregarded requests from health and environmental advocates to reconsider that decision based on evidence that phthalates in food are harmful to health.

Safer substitutes for these chemicals are available, advocates argue.

“There is overwhelming evidence that phthalates in our food cause life-altering damage to people’s health, including the health of babies and young children,” said Earthjustice Attorney Katherine O’Brien. “Rather than fulfill its duty to protect public health from this toxic exposure, FDA has wasted years on delay tactics while both the evidence of phthalates’ toxic effects and the human health toll continue to grow.”

The FDA is continued to allow the use of phthalates in food packaging and processing materials — including phthalates that were banned years ago from use in children’s products because they’re not safe.

Phthalates harm people’s hormonal systems and are linked health problems, including preterm birth, birth defects, infertility, miscarriage, breast cancer, diabetes, and asthma. Phthalates also harm the developing brain, leading to reduced IQ and attention and behavior disorders in children. Babies and young children are most vulnerable to harm from phthalates and suffer the greatest exposure.

People of color, as well as low-income people, also face higher risks of serious health problems from exposure to phthalates compared to the general population.

“The continued use of phthalates in food processing and packaging represents an ongoing public health threat with serious implications for babies, young children, and women in particular,” said Peter G. Lurie, M.D., president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

The risk of harm outweighs whatever advantages phthalates offer to the food industry, Laurie said.

Comments

[azure]

"The risk of harm outweighs whatever advantages phthalates offer to the food industry, Laurie said."

yes, but in the US, maximization of corporate profits are more important then public health & welll being.

EPA hasn't suspended the registration of glysophate, despite all the litigation the very real risks to health from exposure re: RoundUp (which contains glysophate). In fact, EPA never suspended or withdrew registraiton of the ingredients (2,4-5T) of Agent Orange--the manufacturers "voluntarily" withdrew them/it, which means they can (and probably will) reintroduce them again, despite contamination w/TCDD as part of the manufacturing process. That dioxin persists for a very long time in the environment and is thought to be one of the most toxic compounds around--which is saying alot--given how many (PCBs, PFAS) are pretty much ubiquitous. Both PCBs & TCDDs have been detected in human breast milk. Some claim TCDD is being effectively destroyed via incineration, the National Dioxin Study, (in the 1990's) demonstrated otherwise (partly because few of the incinerators were kept at a high enough temperature for long enough to destroy the dioxins)

[Rita]

U.S. federal regulatory agencies do such a poor job of regulating chemicals harmful to the public. Time and time again they fall short or fail. The EU does a better job, but, they, too, can be influenced by corporations.