ListNook

RCaHuman Mar 31, 2026 +1221

From the article: "The American Chemistry Council’s High Phthalates Panel told CNN in an email that the US Environmental Protection Agency conducted a comprehensive risk evaluation of uses of DiNP under the Toxic Substances Control Act and concluded that it does not pose “unreasonable risk of injury to human health for consumers, the general population, or the environment.” And what is the American Chemistry Council High Phthalates Panel? "The High Phthalates Panel (also referred to as the High Phthalates Industry Group) is an industry group within ACC formed in 2011 **to represent manufacturers of high‑molecular‑weight phthalates** such as DINP, DIDP, and DPHP." - Perplexity Well then, I guess we have no reason to be concerned. /s

1221

Fallouttgrrl Mar 31, 2026 +330

Thousands of infant deaths out of a population of billions of humans? Why, that's practically a rounding error! /s if that wasn't obvious Holy shit :(

330

Warcraft_Fan Mar 31, 2026 +69

OTOH if Republicans knew of this and we make claims that those plastics can be used as substitute to abortion service, they'll quickly ban it

69

certciv Apr 1, 2026 +17

"Better abortions through chemistry" - American Chemistry Council High Phthalates Panel

17

Spire_Citron Apr 1, 2026 +8

They don't give a shit about any of that if they don't get to restrict a woman's bodily autonomy as part of the package.

8

vin7er Mar 31, 2026 +84

”Unreasonable” does a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence.

84

Creepy-Floor-1745 Mar 31, 2026 +26

Yep. It DOES pose a “reasonable” risk of risk to human health. JC. Everyone calm down - the risk to human health is reasonable. Just ask the manufacturers! /s

26

Ih2oski Mar 31, 2026 +5

Not defending the decision of DINP at all, as I haven't dug too deeply, they did find five other phthalates which were determined to cause unreasonable risk and allegedly intend on implementing rules on them. Obviously each has their own necessary context, but the exclusion of one or the other doesn't exclude them all from regulation.

5

RCaHuman Mar 31, 2026 +3

thanks for the award, Randy...

3

futuranotfree Mar 31, 2026 +3254

Its like everyday I read why plastic is even more insidious than I thought.

3254

ElectronicMoo Mar 31, 2026 +846

Right? I don't know if it is fear mongering or the latest news cycle - or if it's the leaded gas thing all over again. Super doubt the world will come together like it did for ozone and for leaded gas, I'd it'd a real issue. Feels depressing.

846

Saneless Mar 31, 2026 +536

Because every company saves money with plastic so they'll never give it up

536

nameduser365 Mar 31, 2026 +349

Also it's a byproduct of oil. That's why we have so much for so c****

349

Pure_Slice_6119 Mar 31, 2026 +82

That's the whole reason. Plastic is made from oil, which is now becoming a scarce commodity in Europe. Therefore, politicians will now demonize plastic.

82

getitout728 Mar 31, 2026 +102

Plastics can be made from plants. The reason the majority of plastics are petroleum-based is not due to science, but rather the oil lobby.

102

Otherdeadbody Mar 31, 2026 +32

I doubt they have to do much lobbying for this, plastics are so ridiculously c**** from oil byproducts that it’s almost unbelievable. I’m sure there are plenty of ways to manufacture plastics and alternatives but I’d be hard pressed to believe that any could legitimately compete cost wise with petrochemicals. The scale and the fact that it’s just an otherwise useless byproduct means that you’d basically just have to bite the bullet cost wise to shift. I don’t know what would happen if it was discovered that plastics are an existential threat to human life, heck it’s possible that it might already be known and nobody will admit it because it might just be anarchy. Plastics are also a big reason why food can be so shelf stable and easy to ship.

32

getitout728 Mar 31, 2026 +2

The lobbying is for tax benefits, subsidies, and incentives for the industry as a whole, which in turn allowed the industry to grow to massive scale. The economy of scale is primarily what makes petrochemical plastics easier to produce than plant-based ones. Those tax cuts, subsidies, and incentives can be shifted away from the oil industry to an alternative industry to make plant-based plastics cheaper to produce. By doing so, the governments will ultimately save money on how much they have to put toward healthcare of cancer patients, the cost of IVF, the cost of treating diseases related to obesity, the subsidies they propose to fix lowering birth rates, and the costs of fighting climate change, since growing the plants needed can help offset the fossil fuel pollution. Plant-based plastics can still be used to keep food shelf-stable and easy to ship, although shifting to eating primarily locally grown and produced food has a host of its own benefits, from supporting local farmers/communities, to reducing monoculture farming which is wiping out much of our pollinators. People (primarily in the US) would need to accept that some foods may not be as readily available when they’re not in season. It is already well know that the culture of convenience and consumption is an existential threat to humanity. But we have to get past human apathy and nihilism.

2

Someinterestingbs-td Mar 31, 2026 +70

Not till we stop buying it, with the exception of electronics and toothbrush bristles it's pretty easy to get away from. with the glaring exception of food packaging. we need to make laws requiring glass, paper and metal whenever possible and go back to butchers wrap and refillable containers. if we did so it would make a huge difference. not just environmentally but to exposure. most of the micro plastic that makes its way into pur bodies is from food packaging and plastic clothing.

70

1d10 Mar 31, 2026 +36

People can be told plastic is hazardous, but when the glass bottle of coke costs 20 cents more they will still buy plastic. The only way to get rid of it is with government action, and since half of America still thinks its super cool to vote for a warmongering child rapist, we might as well get used to plastic.

36

Someinterestingbs-td Mar 31, 2026 +8

Ol dementia don is certainly not going to be any help that's for sure

8

Jaded_Hyena_3522 Mar 31, 2026 +3

You're right that the option of plastic has to be taken away. The only way these things change is by making the best environmental decision line up with the best market decision. A lot of things have gone up by 20 cents or way more recently, but because people had to buy them they did. It sucks but ultimately this is a better way to put money back into the environment than charity

3

Twodogsonecouch Mar 31, 2026 +49

There is so much food packaged in plastic that doesnt need plastic on it.

49

Hoss-Bonaventure_CEO Mar 31, 2026 +29

Why are there bagged triple packs of bell peppers right next to the loose bell peppers?

29

Twodogsonecouch Mar 31, 2026 +13

There are some things that are the equivalent of like individual wrapping every slice of bread inside a bag of a bag of bread.

13

Someinterestingbs-td Mar 31, 2026 +6

Its madness

6

jminternelia Mar 31, 2026 +13

You can’t stop buying it. All pesticides and fertilizers are hydrocarbon byproducts. The entire industrial agricultural supply chain is wholly dependent on oil. There are 7 gallons of oil in every tire. Untold thousands of gallon in the paints, plastics and resins. Pharmaceuticals are reliant on the oil industry. You use an oil power machine to dig up the ground. You use an oil power machine to plan the seeds. You pump water, then spray pesticides and fertilizers because nothing grows without them anymore due to topsoil erosion. Then you harvest it with an oil powered machine, wrap in in plastic, transport it with an oil powered machine to the grocery store which is powered by natural natural gas or coal, and then you drive your oil powered car, buy it? Take it home and put it in the fridge which is powered by coal or natural gas. In short, nothing, anywhere, ever, can or will replace the edifice that is oil.

13

Someinterestingbs-td Mar 31, 2026 +4

well hell

4

SpicyShyHulud Mar 31, 2026 +48

Strait of Hormuz: "Hold my beer."

48

jonathansharman Mar 31, 2026 +36

And conversely, are consumers willing to pay more and sacrifice convenience? I don't see consumers or manufacturers changing their behavior without regulation.

36

Saneless Mar 31, 2026 +32

Right. You can see it at the grocery store. Plastic bag or $0.05 paper bag? Guess what people leave with It'll take the EU, who seem to be somewhat immune towards bribery from American companies

32

ElectronicMoo Mar 31, 2026 +19

I've noticed places starting to "punish" plastic bag use. Like in Puerto Rico, it costs money for a plastic bag - versus you bringing your own. I'm guessing it's a trash thing.

19

TheFotty Mar 31, 2026 +14

Here in NJ we don't even have them as they were banned from stores. So now we have an equal number of the cheapest possible 'reusable' bags instead....

14

Cakiea Mar 31, 2026 +5

Seattle banned plastic in favor of paper quite a few years ago, with paper costing 5¢ to buy, and there was a significant reduction in plastic waste. Then the state legislators decided to ban “single use plastic bags”, superseding Seattle’s ban on plastic to allow plastic bags that are not “single use” and raising the cost to buy a bag to 8¢, so now we get bags made of significantly more plastic than what used to be a normal free plastic grocery bag and we have to pay 8¢ for the privilege, increasing to 12¢ this year.

5

texmarie Mar 31, 2026 +12

In VT, single-use plastic bags are completely banned—you don’t even have the option of buying them. You *can* buy a paper bag for 10¢. So people pretty exclusively use reusable bags.

12

1d10 Mar 31, 2026 +6

I remember when plastic grocery bags became a thing, everyone was saying "save the planet use plastic" I had so many arguments with my friends because they all thought we were cutting down old growth forests to make paper bags.

6

brainless_bob Mar 31, 2026 +5

I haven't seen plastic bags in supermarkets in a long time. Some gas stations still have them. In the US, there isn't really a choice. Either buy a paper bag or bring your own reusable bags. I always forget my bags and just put everything unbagged in my trunk and bring some from the house when i get home

5

anb0603 Mar 31, 2026 +7

None of the grocery stores where I live offer paper bags. All of my groceries are in plastic - I’m in Texas

7

brainless_bob Mar 31, 2026 +3

I wonder if it's just blue states then. I'm in upstate NY and grew up in California

3

Lopsided_Tiger_0296 Mar 31, 2026 +2

In Canada they’ve banned plastic grocery shopping bags, reusable or paper are the only options

2

quantumfrog87 Mar 31, 2026 +19

This is the biggest part of the problem imo. Consumers all complain about the adverse environmental and health effects of these things and then go "but billionaires fly planes and companies don't recycle, why should I change anything when nothing more sustainable is equally convenient?" Like, f*** sacrificing some short term convenience for long term benefit, like survival or whatever.

19

IndividualChart4193 Mar 31, 2026 +4

This. Every fkn day. “U know recycling is a myth?”

4

frisch85 Mar 31, 2026 +14

Several things can be true at once and make no mistake, I wish for everyone to live a bit more environmental conscious because we regular citizens also need to do our parts but what good is it if behind our backs there's a couple of people simply causing much more pollution than we the regular citizens can reduce? We're constantly being told to take a step back and are constantly being fucked in the ass, EU with paper straws and a ban on plastic straws where it turns out 90% of those paper straws contain PFAS as an example, why? EU first approach of CO2 taxes on planes, the initial draft specifically made private jets and business flights exempt from CO2 taxes, why? Go buy yourself an electric vehicle and toss out the old gasoline one, while our top politicians getting brand new *tanks* (bulletproof cars) powered by gasoline. Again, we need to do our part too but I understand it can be really f****** frustrating if all this leads to is getting kicked in the balls over and over again...

14

slavetothesound Mar 31, 2026 +15

I burn a couple gallons of gas every month driving my truck full of cardboard and aluminum to a recycling center. hope it evens out but I suspect it’s just extra waste while my garbage (recycling load) takes the long way to a more distant landfill. hell I used to be optimistic enough to peel every bit of tape off my cardboard so it’d be less contaminated with plastics and adhesive when they went to recycle it. but that takes a shitload of time and the world keeps getting worse anyway. i need the regulations to come. I’m not making a difference at the individual level. I’ve lost hope.

15

ABHOR_pod Mar 31, 2026 +7

You can't solve systemic problems with personal efforts. Gotta change the system.

7

flumydumdum Mar 31, 2026 +5

Just here to tell you that aluminum and metal recycling really is worth it. Plastic recycling has a lot if issues that don't apply to metals. Most of them structural.

5

manachar Mar 31, 2026 +59

Leaded gas was a special kind of evil as those pushing lead gas knew it was dangerous. Plastic seems more like CFCs. Something that was an unknown interaction with the environment. Plastic everywhere just had unforeseen consequences. The question is what we are willing to do about it and if governments can make the people who profit of it pay to clean things up.

59

oakwooden Apr 1, 2026 +2

Oil companies absolutely influenced policy by overselling the recyclability of plastics. Even if they didn't know it would harm people we should've been incredibly skeptical about burying a ton of shit that takes forever to degrade.

2

Mr_ToDo Mar 31, 2026 +19

> Super doubt the world will come together like it did for ozone and for leaded gas, I'd it'd a real issue. Feels depressing. Well we do ban, and limit things all the time for their effects. But unless it has a big impact on what's sold on the market I doubt it makes many waves in the news > Right? I don't know if it is fear mongering or the latest news cycle - or if it's the leaded gas thing all over again. Could be bad could be not Seriously though. CNN is making it a pain in the ass to properly learn more about what the article is on. I *think* it's talking about this one which is linked way further down in the article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(26)00089-1/fulltext Closer to the top they link to another article of theirs(why is this so common in the news, where they prefer to link internally then send people out to their sources?): https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(23)00270-X/fulltext Sadly I'm god awful at reading studies. The first link is a meta study, and I *think* its got a fairly large margin of error. But the weird part is that they seem to emphasis DEHP, but in both studies it was the least problematic of the ones looked at. Not that it wasn't bad, but comparatively the others are higher. Maybe it's in how they're used? DEHP is the flexy plastic thing, not sure about the rest though Oh and from this I learned that the CDC has a substance priority list: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/programs/substance-priority-list.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/spl/index.html Again my poor comprehension kicks in. So they have 4 Phthalate's in the list: 59 DI-N-BUTYL PHTHALATE 77 DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL)PHTHALATE 198 BUTYL METHYL PHTHALATE 207 BUTYL BENZYL PHTHALATE 77 is the DEHP I'm pretty sure, but I don't think any of the others are the DINP(diisononyl phthalate) that was mentioned in the top study. And I don't think any from the second link, other then DEHP are on the list(Phthalic acid, diisodecyl phthalate (DiDP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP), and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP)) I'm not sure I have much take away after all that. First link reads like "it's worth further study", and the second seems like a normal paper, but since I'm bad at interpreting these things I'm not totally sure how much of a problem they found. So I'll just leave this here in case anyone wants the links

19

bananayacat Mar 31, 2026 +13

Thank you for the links! I just wanted to chime in as you interpreted this correctly! The study quantifies *global* data for preterm births associated with exposure to DEHP and DINP. Specific regions in the world have higher exposure to these phthalates due to lack of regulation and waste management practices. Changes in regulation, exposure, and waste management of phthalates can reduce preterm births. In a nutshell, the study is useful from a data perspective but it isn't telling us anything we don't already know about phthalates! For other relevant reading, (If you're in the US) you'll find [16 CFR part 1307](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-II/subchapter-B/part-1307) limits **DEHP**, DBP, BBP, **DINP**, DiBP, DPENP, DHEXP, and DCHP in children's toys and childcare products. FWIW, DEHP, DBP, and BBP have been regulated since 2008/9 and the other 5 were added in 2018. Source: myself, product safety chemist

13

Red580 Mar 31, 2026 +8

Mostly due to the ramifications of a mostly inert material would take quite a lot of time before we learn. Lead, Mercury and Asbestos were relatively short-term until the effects could be noticed.

8

Blurby-Blurbyblurb Mar 31, 2026 +6

BPA free doesn't mean BPA free. These companies have made a different chemical that is does the same thing as BPA did with plastic, with the same danger and toxicity as BPA. But, because it's not technically BPA, the FDA allows it. I don't know if that's what happened in these cases, but there is established science of the toxicity of plastic and the fact that the FDA allows too many loopholes. >The researchers specifically tested the impact of these chemicals on estrogen receptor activity, which if altered could affect the body’s endocrine systems, with potentially serious consequences for fetuses, infants and young children. The team showed that some of the BPA alternatives were actually more potent than BPA itself in activating the estrogen receptor. [EPA 2017](https://www.epa.gov/sciencematters/are-bpa-substitutes-any-safer-bpa)

6

justin251 Mar 31, 2026 +5

We have to be the most easily conquerable planet in the galaxy.

5

likelazarus Mar 31, 2026 +80

Remember those “Plastic makes it possible” propaganda commercials in the 90s?!

80

Kind-Region-5115 Mar 31, 2026 +49

We had to save the trees!!! And plastic is the only solution... 🙄

49

ShiraCheshire Mar 31, 2026 +22

They're still doing this btw. "Stone paper" advertises itself as super green and environmentally friendly because it's made with zero trees! Wow! Amazing! So what's it made of? Plastic!

22

CaptainSparklebottom Mar 31, 2026 +26

Vegan leather just being polyurethane sheets is my favorite.

26

Hopefulkitty Mar 31, 2026 +10

Yup. That's why I will buy real leather if I can. It will last decades if taken care of. Anything faux leather will fall apart within 10-15 years. I just threw out some boots I bought when I was younger because the "leather" was flaking off and falling apart. I replaced them with vintage Frye boots. They've lasted a few decades before me and they should last for quite a while now in my possession.

10

artbystorms Mar 31, 2026 +2

Its not made of cow! Its made of liquid dinosaurs! So it's vegan friendly!

2

ankerous Mar 31, 2026 +3

I definitely do along with the commercials all about eggs and milk. Probably some others too but I don't remember for sure. I did see the plastic ones the most often though.

3

likelazarus Mar 31, 2026 +3

The incredible, edible egg! I love eggs - from my head down to my legs!

3

Manos_Of_Fate Mar 31, 2026 +6

Except plastics actually do make a lot of modern life possible. Go look around a modern hospital and think about what would be necessary to get rid of all the plastics there.

6

getitout728 Mar 31, 2026 +3

Plastics can be made from plants. The only reason most plastics are petroleum-based today is the oil lobby. You don’t have to get rid of plastic. Just the toxic chemicals that are needed to alter petroleum.

3

trane7111 Mar 31, 2026 +19

Most of the plastic industry was literally created to get people to spend more money. Things like glass and metal containers and appliances were amazing and if you didn't break them, they would basically last forever and you never needed to buy another, which meant those companies couldn't really have repeat customers. Not saying that Plastic doesn't have some great uses. But it's widespread popularity is 100% insidious and was motivated by greed/enshitification.

19

Envoyager Apr 1, 2026 +2

I do the shopping gigs..the amount of c**** bottled water packs I deliver on a regular basis makes me sad that people aren't 'getting' it.

2

artbystorms Mar 31, 2026 +26

I honestly think plastic will be seen as one of the worst things humans invented, similar to asbestos. Almost nothing except oil has done more damage to this planet or humans.

26

Floreat_democratia Mar 31, 2026 +9

Most plastic is made from oil. And microplastics have been found in the blood of most people. New research is trying to determine if they are in our brains.

9

burtnayd Mar 31, 2026 +6

lol humans didn't invent asbestos, it's a group of naturally-occurring minerals

6

envymatters Apr 1, 2026 +2

Humans didn't invent propane either, but they certainly purified, compressed, and packaged it for the everyday consumer. Same with asbestos.

2

FWYDU Mar 31, 2026 +12

I read recently where it's hard for us to measure the amount of plastic in things because of all the plastic things used to measure the plastic

12

Pleasant_Yoghurt3915 Mar 31, 2026 +6

Wait until you look into the DuPonts and their contributions to our impending doom.

6

swagonflyyyy Mar 31, 2026 +3

I knew there was something going on with plastic. I've always compared it to lead in how it probably has such a wide effect on people and why people seem to be getting dumber over time. Of course, that's just me speculating. I don't know if that's true or not.

3

ShdwWzrdMnyGngg Mar 31, 2026 +4

This is why I don't trust any politician. It's the biggest health crisis ever. And not a single politician talks about it? Republican or Democrat? If that doesn't paint a picture of everyone in DC idc what does. I would have huge respect for any politician who spear headed this crisis. Considering it's a real crisis and not one of the 200 hundred they make up every day.

4

Pleasant_Yoghurt3915 Mar 31, 2026 +3

Yeah, me neither. They’re all lying scum just turning a profit off our backs. But even if they weren’t, what can anyone possibly do about this? Look around you right now and count the plastics. I bet the number you get is pretty high. It’s a cornerstone of modern life. No one’s going to give up the conveniences that plastics provide. Not even just conveniences. There are millions of things our current society relies on that can’t be made with anything other than plastic. And I hate to say it, but we’re also never going to get rid of the people that make billions of dollars to produce it. Not without going the French route. Shit, the DuPonts stumbled onto cellophane and then created a need for it so they could sell it. And it worked! Also, the microplastics are already so pervasive in every nook and cranny of the world, including inside all of us and the other animals, that I can’t see how we can get rid of it. I think we’re fucked. I’m not trying to be a doomer, but I can’t see how we could possibly fix this when we can’t even not elect pedophiles to run our governments. We can’t keep all the babies we have fed in “the richest country on earth” because some billionaire might miss out on a few bucks. The veterans that fight all these oil wars for the billionaires are living on the streets because we “can’t” provide them with the help we need. People that work full time are living in their cars because rents are more than 50% of a normal income. Like, there are just so many other problems that are relatively easy to solve, and we can’t even do those. Hell, the current administration is actively making everything worse by gutting the agencies made to protect us from all the contaminants that have been dumped into our waterways and pumped into our livestock. It’s bad, man. It’s real bad. I just don’t see us fixing this one. Gillead, here we come, I guess.

3

nosmartypants Mar 31, 2026 +2

and everyday something that used to be packaged in glass is packaged in leaching plastic

2

duilleagach Mar 31, 2026 +2

I remember learning about the invention of plastic as a kid, and wondering aloud to my dad about why we use it everywhere nowadays when there were no longterm studies about its safety to us or the world we live in. It shocked me then and it still gets me now. A select few make choices that affect us all.

2

kmatyler Mar 31, 2026 +1

Using plastic for every day objects is exactly like using pewter (containing lead) for those same objects except the difference is we know that shit is bad for us and continue to do it anyway because its profitable for a very small subset of the population.

1

dumpstersquirrel19 Apr 1, 2026 +1

“Plastics make everything possible.” Anyone remember this lobbyist campaign from about a decade ago?

1

SunshineAlways Apr 1, 2026 +1

Plastic is pretty useful in some cases, particularly in medical treatment. But we lived without SO much of it for a long time. We could dial it back some.

1

StrawberryDulcet Apr 1, 2026 +1

Don’t forget **polyester** is plastic.

1

Doggin-Pony-Show Apr 1, 2026 +1

Just read last month that chewing gum is pretty much eating plastic :(

1

wholewheatscythe Mar 31, 2026 +230

Apparently back in 1999 Canada restricted the use of those plastics in children’s toys. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)79844-5/abstract

230

1egg_4u Mar 31, 2026 +136

They are also heavily retricted in the EU Ngl guys... when I did a product safety class I learned a LOT about the shortcomings of the american FDA and how behind they are on guidelines... the chemical safety hotlist in canada is like 10x bigger than the US and the EU is like 10x ours. If I need to determine if a product is chemically "safe" to use I look up if it is restricted in the EU. That is my standard I operate by and constantly have to tell clients not to bring products (especially cosmetics and candies) home from america because there is likely a very good reason we dont sell it here.

136

Stavtastic Mar 31, 2026 +30

FDA is not there for the people, but for the shareholders

30

ChaZZZZahC Mar 31, 2026 +3

The same people that work in private sector also work in the public sector, one hand washes the other and no ones keen to regulate this practice in the states.

3

1egg_4u Apr 1, 2026 +2

Well it is also a system so bogged down by beurocrcy it would almost be easier to remake the whole system from scratch than try and go in to fix things

2

willismthomp Mar 31, 2026 +575

The DuPont family is vile.

575

The_Gildo Mar 31, 2026 +41

They are 100% to blame

41

nomad-mr_t Mar 31, 2026 +24

Everyone who votes for, or doesn't vote to oppose, candidates against environmental protections and in favor of deregulation are also to blame.

24

The_Gildo Mar 31, 2026 +17

Read up on the DuPont family. I assure you this is more on them than anyone else.

17

Marisarah Mar 31, 2026 +85

It's scary bc I live in DE and I worry I am at increased cancer risk here

85

willismthomp Mar 31, 2026 +130

They’ve long owned Delaware. I just realized that the ceo of DuPont is a Koch, holy shit these motherfuckers are out of control.

130

End3rWi99in Apr 1, 2026 +2

Last Podcast and Behind the Bastards both did multi part episodes on the family recently that were pretty interesting. They have been involved with just about every global event for the past 200 or so years.

2

NoSong2397 Apr 1, 2026 +1

They don't actually own the company anymore. It looks like they haven't had control over its operations since the 1960's.

1

MaximumAd9779 Mar 31, 2026 +180

Crude oil should have never been discovered.

180

KDR_11k Mar 31, 2026 +206

I've seen it described as Lovecraftian, a black goo from the depths of the earth made from ancient beings that makes every aspect of life easier and gets us addicted but slowly poisons us and returns the Earth to how it was in the time of those dead beings...

206

RealAnonymousCaptain Apr 1, 2026 +11

It's more like a faustian bargain than Lovecraftian. We know how oil works yet we choose to use it. The more insidious part is the producers and manufacturers are incentivized to hide the effects of being exposed to it - people are dying and only the people profitting off it knows why.

11

RoarOfTheWorlds Apr 1, 2026 +2

Unrelated but I’ve heard something similar about [the Sun](https://preview.redd.it/in-other-news-our-sun-is-one-of-the-elder-gods-v0-s86av02455r01.jpg?auto=webp&s=1a227c1a17ba4bdd42dcb9a6d3243300bde95725) and now I can never think of the Sun the same again

2

Hefty_Breadfruit Mar 31, 2026 +16

It was considered a miracle at the time. Oil in the ground? But I thought it only came from whales!

16

Stats_n_PoliSci Mar 31, 2026 +5

It’s worth thinking through how plastic replacements would actually work. Glass bottles are massively expensive to transport relative to plastic. Modern cars would be heavier and more dangerous. Oil has caused major harms. But it has given us a lot of valuable things too.

5

MaximumAd9779 Apr 1, 2026 +6

I think that’s true. The car argument is particularly compelling. Having said that, I do still argue that most other things could be replaced by either glass, metal, or organic compounds.

6

satinsateensaltine Apr 1, 2026 +1

Imagine if we'd developed more steam and nuclear instead. The world would look very different today.

1

M0M0_DA_GANGSTA Mar 31, 2026 +63

I really get to live in a time where they claimed lead and cigarettes weren't harmful and when they finally admitted they were they just added plastics and pharmaceuticals

63

NoSong2397 Apr 1, 2026 +3

It's always something.

3

Sans-valeur Mar 31, 2026 +251

I didn’t even really find out about forever chemicals until recently, let alone know that they were in the non stick cookware that I’ve been using to cook with almost every day for most of my adult life, or that it’s really bad to use them when they’re scratched lmao. At least I don’t have lead poisoning like my parents generation though I guess 🤷

251

TechnoCat Mar 31, 2026 +210

This article is not about PFAS. It is about plastic products like milk jugs and baby bottles and ziplock bags and tons of other consumer products.

210

Temporary_Inner Mar 31, 2026 +13

It wasn't that long ago when most babies were being fed in what was basically ziplock bags for baby milk, because it was thought to combat cholic.

13

TekAzurik Mar 31, 2026 +96

Scratched teflon from pans isn’t a big danger. The particle size is too large. When you use too high heat it’s not great and even then the risk is minimal. The real problem is in the production of those pans and the companies improperly disposing of the waste products. https://youtu.be/SC2eSujzrUY?si=ULuiNqZ_ER86pO6H

96

SimmeringGiblets Mar 31, 2026 +18

Yeah, using a teflon pan isn't the problem, it's the buying of one that does the damage. It's like my gas stove (that came with the house) - my gas stove and teflon pans are the last ones I'll own and next time i'll drop the demand. It's not what you do with your stuff, but what you do with your wallet that sends the message.

18

NoSkillZone31 Mar 31, 2026 +14

This isn’t entirely true. Teflon, the brand name for PTFE, is itself a PFAS. Its chemical structure breaks down at 486F and even one time is enough. (This easily can happen to an empty pan on gas). Teflon must be used ONLY at very very low heat

14

Balzineer Mar 31, 2026 +42

Veritasium has a good YouTube video that goes into details. "How one company secretly poisoned the planet". Your teflon pan is not that bad as the plastic resin is mostly baked out. Teflon is pretty inert but when you scratch the pan you might release residual plastic resin in small amounts. The most alarming was at the end his blood test found high amounts of microplastic likely from contamination from the wax liner on popcorn bags.

42

embarrassingdyk Mar 31, 2026 +10

Yeah dude, use those in a house with small pets like birds and they drop dead too

10

airfryerfuntime Mar 31, 2026 +5

PFAS isn't *in* Teflon, it's used to manufacture it. The Teflon on your pan is basically inert. It's still a forever chemical, but it's a forever chemical that does nothing. Just don't get it too hot and it's fine.

5

NoSkillZone31 Mar 31, 2026 +6

Of note, too hot is 486F (and it only takes once). It is inert only below this temp. If you have a gas stove, this is very very easy to get to. You can test this by seeing if avocado oil smokes (which it does at 520F). Guess what, it happens very easily. The other large consideration when scratched is nucleation sites. When you have scratches or deformation, the heat doesn’t dissipate evenly, and while general temps can be <480, nucleation sites will regularly get much hotter. (Again, oil will smoke here). Those hot sites are where chemical release happens and the danger occurs, and a primary reason why scratched pans are worse. Also, PTFE, the actual chemical name of Teflon, is itself a PFAS so your statement isn’t quite true.

6

ItsDoctorFizz Mar 31, 2026 +23

Country leaders worrying over declining birth rates yet do anything they can to worsen quality of life

23

MrEle Mar 31, 2026 +85

Not a single conservative politician cared

85

KDR_11k Mar 31, 2026 +18

A law restricting these substances in toys was passed by George W Bush of all people, though the Senate and Congress were dem-held at the time.

18

teeny_tina Mar 31, 2026 +13

All that says is that democrats collaborated to pass legislation restricting certain plastics in toys and a horrible person chose to be 1% less horrible that day by not vetoing said legislation.

13

OwnerOfABouncyBall Mar 31, 2026 +33

I work at a company that produces those chemicals. You can also treat it with Hydrogen (H2) to make it phtalate-free, but the demand is not high enough yet since it is more expensive.

33

pixeltackle Mar 31, 2026 +4

Bouncy balls are notoriously difficult to make phthalate free, no?

4

Spire_Citron Apr 1, 2026 +7

The world could probably live without bouncy balls.

7

pixeltackle Apr 1, 2026 +2

Kindly please refer to usernames

2

SkeevyMixxx7 Mar 31, 2026 +30

It's a petroleum product, and you'll never get a "pro life" politician to make a move against the oil industry.

30

getitout728 Mar 31, 2026 +9

Modern-day plastics are only petroleum-based due to the oil lobby. Plastics used to be and can still be made of plants.

9

1egg_4u Mar 31, 2026 +10

Life also existed before plastics for a VERY long time despite what some people will try to get you to believe There is no reason we cant push to go back to glass, paper, wood... and I bet your ass sustainable alternatives arent actually unfeasable and the only reason they havent been pushed is because manufacturers arent being held responsible for the true lifespan of their plastics products I would bet money If we made manufacturers pay a longevity tax on plastics because of their extended impact on the environment and inability to decompose properly we would see change pretty quickly

10

GlitterBirb Mar 31, 2026 +13

Another scary fact is that some studies looking at phthalates in breastmilk couldn't find any non contaminated samples. It's in our bodies and transferring to our babies. Who knows what they get in utero.

13

peshnoodles Mar 31, 2026 +7

We can’t even run studies about said plastics with a control group bc we literally cannot find anyone who doesn’t have microplastics in them

7

satinsateensaltine Apr 1, 2026 +2

It's even in brains now, from what I recall. And PFAS in our plasma. We're doomed.

2

Jueavjkoirtycsaq Mar 31, 2026 +8

lol. i think it's funny how i've seen "it was banned in children's toys" as if grown adults don't matter.

8

shinyplantbox Mar 31, 2026 +9

And f*** all will be done about it, because plastic makers have lobbies and infants do not, and the ‘party of life’ is anything but.

9

Damage-Classic Mar 31, 2026 +9

So if some states are banning abortion, does that mean they’re banning phthalates too?

9

GreaterAttack Mar 31, 2026 +7

For anyone concerned by the inclusion of these chemicals in fragrances (under the ingredient headings 'parfum' and the like), you should know that this varies with the maker. More expensive fragrances could be that way because of designer markup, or because they're using better ingredients and extracts.

7

GirlNumber20 Mar 31, 2026 +7

And another piece from The Handmaid's Tale universe falls into place in our own...

7

Old-Estate-475 Mar 31, 2026 +12

Of course they're called phthalates. That way when you get angry talking about how bad they are, and you try to pronounce it, you just sound silly and everyone dismisses you. Big Plastic wins again.

12

HeNeedsSomeMLK Mar 31, 2026 +17

It's pronounced 'tha·layt' for anyone wondering. The 'ph' in phthalates is silent.

17

ThatGirlLilley Mar 31, 2026 +24

I tried to get rid of plastic and other chemicals as much as possible while I was just thinking about being pregnant: - replaced non stick cook wears with inox - eliminate plastic cup for drinks - store leftover in glass container - eat in ceramic plates and bowls - wash all my fruits and veggies with baking sodas - use clean versions of cosmetics, shower gel, etc. - limited use of perfume - use clean versions of dishwash products - use of vinegar, black soap and steam to clean the house - choose frozen food over canned - I even bought a yogurt machine to make my own yogurt in glass containers (a bit of an overkill unless you eat a lot of them). For baby: - organic formula - glass bottle, - clean version of diapers and cleaning product - silicon wears if inox is too unpractical I found those changes to be easy and not necessarily more costly. I am conscious that we cannot avoid plastic and co. I do buy food in plastic containers and plastic toys for baby - it is convenient and cannot be avoided most of the time. I hope at least that limiting the contact in some aspects of everyday life may help a little.

24

Wise-Stomach7267 Mar 31, 2026 +10

I don’t understand the frozen vs canned food argument. Could you clarify?

10

Geek_King Mar 31, 2026 +19

It's probably due to the fact that all canned foods have a plastic inner lining. So, they were just avoiding another vector of plastics.

19

illHaveWhatHesHaving Mar 31, 2026 +6

But frozen veg come in bags quite often. It’s impossible.

6

WeenyDancer Mar 31, 2026 +13

People responding have answered (can lining that's heated during processing), but I'll add that frozen food bags, even ones that look like paper on the outside, are usually plastic or pfa/pfoa/etc lined. Minimizing exposure is worthy here, IMO, just pointing out that its truly in so, so much of our packaging.

13

return_of_itsy Mar 31, 2026 +7

Nearly all cans are lined with plastic, both for drinks and foods. To make canned food last as long as it does, the contents are also heated to a temperature high enough to kill bacteria.

7

MidnightMillennium Mar 31, 2026 +5

There's been plenty of studies showing it's bad, even to the point where politicians(at least in the US) have taken some action because even THEY are affected, since plastics are in literally everything, except they have allowed companies to voluntarily start phasing out heavy use of plastics. By the time we find a practical alternative the damage will be done. It can be argued that the damage has already happened though. It's not like they didn't know, they just didn't care, same as before with all the other chemicals we've used.

5

yankykiwi Mar 31, 2026 +173

There’s not much benefit to growing up in poverty in the middle of nowhere New Zealand, but the lack of exposure to trash products was definitely one of them. I seem to be the only woman in my now American friend circle that didn’t have problem conceiving, or carrying a child. I do think a lot of this is environmental.

173

ChangMinny Mar 31, 2026 +376

Don’t let confirmation bias get you. I’m American, life long city girl (all the plastics) and got pregnant immediately. Like, when I say immediately, I mean literally got pregnant the first time we had sex after I had my IUD removed. I have other friends who got pregnant just as fast or near as fast. I have other friends who are now battling infertility. Fertility is a spectrum and there are a lot of contributing factors. Plastic may be one of them, but it certainly isn’t the sole or main cause of infertility.

376

MagsAndTelly Mar 31, 2026 +27

Omg I DID TOO! The gyno said it was nearly impossible that it happened that fast. I had to check to make sure I didn’t make that comment in a fugue state.

27

Venvut Mar 31, 2026 +26

Bruh, I got pregnant with my IUD still in 😬

26

ProfilerXx Mar 31, 2026 +8

My gf had hers removed because she was unlikely to ever get pregnant for other reasons. Very unlikely. First time we had sex without it she immediately got pregnant lmao. You should have seen the look on our faces when she did the pregnancy test.

8

periwinkle_e Mar 31, 2026 +6

Same. First time, I got pregnant after using Plan B pills as my main source of contraception for a while (very dumb dont do that). Once I completely stopped, I got pregnant immediately. Second time, I got pregnant right after stopping my birth control.

6

[deleted] Mar 31, 2026 +38

[removed]

38

yankykiwi Mar 31, 2026 +18

I’m shocked that bpa is so wildly used in receipt paper. It’s not a big deal for the average shopper, but for the cashiers out there, yikes.

18

yalag Mar 31, 2026 +5

It’s honestly crazy how uneducated the general public is about things like placebo, confirmation bias…

5

RememberTheirFaces- Mar 31, 2026 +8

Same. Got pregnant the first time 3 times in a row. My cycle was also very predictable, we used the rhythm method successfully for 4 years (not religious, but me and BC don’t mix well). Maybe we’re just a fertile family, but on one side I have 3 niblings who are birth control babies. On the other side everyone got pregnant either by surprise or immediately except for one (that includes my spouses parents as well. All oops babies). And all of them grew up in a…let’s just say a place that really didn’t GAF about the chemicals they were putting into the ground/crops/water or paying people a living wage, so lots and lots of plastic and plastic re-use going on.

8

WereAllAnimals Mar 31, 2026 +4

Well aren't you just using your own suvivorship bias here? Fertility is a spectrum but its proven that microplastics and forever chemicals are hormonally disruptive.

4

Clean-Shift-291 Mar 31, 2026 +11

Some day soon, they’ll tell us that plastic is 10x worse than lead.. Hopefully not, but history says we dumb.

11

ankerous Mar 31, 2026 +10

There has to be some sort of negative aspect of having micro plastic in our organs. I can't imagine it being a good thing. It's been found in everything from brains to testicles of various people.

10

Beastybeast Mar 31, 2026 +3

We've known that phthalates were toxic for ages, they were banned decades ago, how is this news?

3

redmambo_no6 Mar 31, 2026 +24

>vision problems I was born at 23 weeks, I turn 40 in October, and I’ve worn glasses since I was five. Tell me something I don’t know.

24

Bananas_are_theworst Mar 31, 2026 +19

Wow, it’s actually amazing that you were born so early that long ago and were able to survive. Science is awesome.

19

redmambo_no6 Mar 31, 2026 +14

There was a Catholic priest outside my delivery room “just in case”. I wish I was kidding.

14

lyndseymariee Mar 31, 2026 +23

Everyday I go on the internet and everyday my decision to not have kids is validated.

23

rbush82 Mar 31, 2026 +3

Gotta keep the plastic in everything so the billionaires can get richer! F*** them kids!

3

_annanicolesmith_ Apr 1, 2026 +3

studies supporting this have been out for at least a year.

3

Immediate-Ad-6364 Mar 31, 2026 +6

But let’s hold the mom responsible…

6

Alarming_Fee_6993 Mar 31, 2026 +2

"plastic makes it possible!" good and bad it seems...

2

KDR_11k Mar 31, 2026 +2

Pretty sure we already knew that phthalates are bad? The DEHP and DiNP they're talking about here are banned in toys in Canada, Australia and the EU and limited to 0.1% in the US. Though I guess pre-term births would not be related to toys.

2

Wizard_with_a_Pipe Apr 1, 2026 +2

Where is the "prolife" crowd on this? Crickets 🦗 🎶

2

SweetLoLa Apr 1, 2026 +3

Humanity could have progressed so much if not for the corruption and greed of others.

3

davesr25 Apr 1, 2026 +3

*"The cult of money disapproves of this message"*

3

Peppercorn911 Mar 31, 2026 +2

i didnt watch the new doc but my friend did and said boys are being born with their penises growing closer and closer to their anuses bro…. what did i just type

2

Multidream Mar 31, 2026 +2

So Microplastics was actually responsible for lowering the birthrate?

2

Justbabe_saves Mar 31, 2026 +1

Remember the old days when you just had to have a warning label on a plastic 5 gallon bucket

1

amusednchaos Apr 1, 2026 +1

[Remember: Plastics Make it Possible 🌠](https://youtu.be/Gb860qZ40H4?si=eex1RGFyp-1FjtlN)

1

Juice___Springsteen Apr 1, 2026 +1

\>“Meaningful protection cannot rely solely on individual behavior. The most effective solutions are upstream, including stronger regulations, safer product formulations, better labeling, and improved environmental management and regulatory oversight.” Glad we are living at a time with less regulation than ever before. That will surely provide for our safety!

1

Chill-more1236 Apr 1, 2026 +1

"So out of 140 million births in 2018....." The article does not mention this and it's kinda relevant. In addition, "A link" does not mean conclusively "X causes Y".... reasonable doubt gathers in my mind when I hear those words. For a chemical that is so pervasive & intertwined with civilization...what's the alternative? Why should a society "change the world" based on a reasonable doubt?

1

Millions of preterm births and thousands of infant deaths linked to plastic chemical

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