While DEHP is widely used in flexible plastic products—from food packaging to medical devices—it’s increasingly being scrutinized for its long-term health effects. The study analyzed data from 2008 to 2018, finding that regions like the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia carried the highest burden. India, China, and Indonesia together accounted for nearly half of the global death toll linked to DEHP.
The findings land at a time when companies across manufacturing, packaging, healthcare, and retail are facing rising pressure to account for environmental and human health impacts in their operations.
Beyond health risks, the economic implications are substantial. Using conservative estimates, the social cost of DEHP-related deaths ranges from $10.2 billion to $510 billion annually. But when evaluated using the Value of Statistical Life, that figure balloons to almost $3.74 trillion—a cost that could reshape how businesses calculate risk in their supply chains.
The study points to two critical factors:
The fragmented policy environment is already affecting how multinational corporations approach plastics. Businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions must now navigate not only environmental concerns, but potential legal and health liabilities as well.
With the UN Environment Assembly’s move toward a legally binding plastic pollution treaty, the policy landscape is likely to change—fast.
For companies producing, sourcing, or selling plastics, health-linked chemical exposure is now a bottom-line issue. The industries most impacted range from packaging and consumer goods to healthcare and construction. The shift away from DEHP and similar compounds isn't just regulatory in nature but also about long-term brand value and market access.
Sustainable alternatives and safer formulations already exist. The study further suggests that interventions to reduce DEHP exposure can work across income levels, making it feasible for businesses to adopt lower-risk materials in both developed and emerging markets.
While DEHP was the focus of this research, it’s not the only concern. Other plastic-associated chemicals like bisphenols and phthalate replacements, as well as microplastics, have similar health impacts. Add in plastic’s role in climate change, and the cumulative risks become too significant to ignore.
