Synthetic Chemicals in the Food System Linked to Major Health and Ecological Costs
A recent study led by Systemiq and involving scientists from the Institute of Preventive Health, Center for Environmental Health, Chemsec, and universities including the University of Sussex and Duke, highlights the massive health and ecological burden caused by four chemical families—phthalates, bisphenols, pesticides, and PFAS—in the global food system.
These chemicals are linked to a range of serious issues such as cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders, infertility, and environmental degradation. The annual costs associated with health and ecological impacts from these chemicals could be as high as $2.2 trillion, with an additional ecological cost estimated at about $640 billion.
Of particular concern is the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which, if exposure persists, could result in 200 to 700 million fewer births globally between 2025 and 2100.
The four chemical families were selected for this analysis due to their prevalence and strong toxicological evidence, although the vast majority of the over 350,000 synthetic chemicals currently in the market lack sufficient safety data.
Global chemical production has increased more than 200-fold since the 1950s. PFAS chemicals, widely used in food contact materials, have contaminated food sources through air, soil, and water and accumulate within the environment.
The report notes limited safeguards for testing industrial chemicals before their use and inadequate monitoring afterwards, which shifts much of the burden of harm and costs onto governments. This situation contributes to concerns raised three years ago by the Stockholm Resilience Centre, which linked chemical pollution to a planetary boundary crossing, indicating potential instability in Earth's systems.
