Airborne plastic chemicals have reached shocking levels

Every day, we are unknowingly exposed to a multitude of chemicals. Among these are a group of toxic airborne chemicals known as plasticizers.

If you think these are limited to children’s toys, beauty products, or even plastic bags, think again. These robust substances are everywhere, from your lunchbox to your shower curtain, and even your garden hose.

Airborne plastic chemicals are as intrusive as they are pervasive. They are silently invading our homes, our bodies, and our environment.

Not all plasticizers are born equal

David Volz, an esteemed professor of environmental sciences at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), has made some shocking discoveries about these elusive chemicals.

Until now, much of California’s monitoring programs focused on a category of plasticizers termed ortho-phthalates, which were gradually phased out due to health and environmental reasons.

However, less attention was given to their successors – the non-ortho-phthalates. Volz’s research has revealed the omnipresence of both these types, creating a stir in the scientific community.

“Over the last 20 years, the plastics industry has gradually transitioned away from ortho-phthalates towards alternative chemicals due to concerns about the potential environmental and human health risks associated with ortho-phthalate exposure,” noted the researchers.

Skyrocketing levels of airborne plastic chemicals

This study did more than just scratch the surface; it upturned long-standing beliefs and expectations. Southern California’s air was found to be riddled with both categories of plasticizers.

“The levels are through the roof,” said Volz, expressing his surprise at the enormity of the problem. Indeed, it seems that it’s high time people sit up and take notice of the lurking danger in the very air we breathe.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is also doing its part to spotlight this study. They featured Volz’s work in the October issue of their monthly newsletter, Environmental Factor – a clear testament to the significance of these findings.

Measuring the extent of the problem

To conduct this study, Volz and his team tracked two groups of UCR undergrad students commuting from different parts of Southern California.

The students wore specially designed silicone wristbands that recorded their exposure to chemicals present in the air. The data yielded from the wristbands painted a disturbing picture of the extent of plasticizer pollution in the environment.

Unlike a previous study where a flame-retardant and carcinogen known as TDCIPP was found concentrated in commuter car seats, the origin of these plasticizers remains elusive.

Being airborne, these toxic substances could have infiltrated the wristbands from virtually anywhere – a testament to how widespread plasticizers have become.

Alarming levels of phthalates

Of the ten plasticizers analyzed from the wristbands, three particular phthalates – DiNP, DEHP, and DEHT – were found at staggeringly high levels.

The first two were included in California’s Proposition 65 list, a catalog of chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and other harm to the reproductive system.

DEHT, introduced as a replacement, is relatively new, and its impact on human health remains largely unexplored.

Consistent levels of airborne plastic chemicals

Regardless of the changes in temperatures, humidity, or geographical location, the teams found similar levels of those chemicals not just in Southern California but also in studies conducted on the East Coast. This underscores a poignant fact: phthalates are not a local issue but a national concern.

“No matter who you are, or where you are, your daily level of exposure to these plasticizer chemicals is high and persistent,” Volz said. “They are ubiquitous.”

As plastics degrade, these chemicals leach into the environment, silently sneaking into every corner of our lives.

Seeking alternatives to plasticizers

This study highlights the urgent need to find alternatives to plastic. According to Volz, the only way to decrease the concentration of plasticizers in the air is to decrease our production and consumption of materials containing plasticizers. 

It is time we break the cycle, not just for our health, but also for the sake of our environment.

The dangers of plasticizers, invisible yet omnipresent, serve as a stark reminder of our collective responsibility to the environment and our health.

The study is published in the journal Environmental Research.

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