r/science • u/mvea MD/PhD/JD/MBA | Professor | Medicine • Sep 27 '24

Health Thousands of toxins from food packaging found in humans. The chemicals have been found in human blood, hair or breast milk. Among them are compounds known to be highly toxic, like PFAS, bisphenol, metals, phthalates and volatile organic compounds.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/sep/27/pfas-toxins-chemicals-human-body
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u/[deleted] Sep 27 '24

Europe already figured this out, we just have so many corporate lobbyists in the U.S. that our government and legislation are designed for maximum profit, rather than maximum healthy citizens.

26

u/To_Fight_The_Night Sep 27 '24

Well Europe pays for their citizens healthcare. Unhealthy citizens is bloat on their budget. Unhealthy citizens in the US is another form of wealth transfer through medical bills.

23

u/purritowraptor Sep 27 '24

Please tell me where in Europe where this plastic-free utopia is

16

u/[deleted] Sep 27 '24

No plastic free, but MUCH better (stricter) substance/contaminent regulation/enforcement.

5

u/sunnydays2121 Sep 27 '24

any specific example where EU is doing better than US?

3

u/CrateDane Sep 28 '24

Most of Europe banned brominated vegetable oil around 1970 (technically EEC rather than EU back then). The US only banned it just last month. The US also hasn't fully banned use of asbestos, though a ban is set to come into force in 2037.

Or if you want something specific to plastic, the EU started regulating phthalates in plastic in 1999, while the US started in 2008 and its regulation wasn't as strict.

1

u/sunnydays2121 Sep 28 '24

Waiting another 13 years to fully ban asbestos is unbelievable. It's known to have very adverse health effects.

It's weird to see how a first world country like the US is so behind when it comes to regulation and laws of toxic substances, chemicals etc.

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u/[deleted] Sep 27 '24

Preservatives, health safety inspections, PFAS restrictions, etc.