Early Plastic Exposure May Be Fueling Childhood Asthma.

A 2025 pooled cohort study involving 5,306 children from Australia, the U.S., and Canada, published in Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology, found that exposure to plastic-derived chemicals before age 5—such as phthalates and BPA—was linked to significantly higher rates of asthma and wheezing in childhood.

These chemicals, common in household plastics, can disrupt lung development and immune function during critical early years. Prior research shows that prenatal phthalate exposure increases childhood asthma risk by 70–78%, and BPA exposure has been tied to reduced lung capacity and wheezing in toddlers.

Cut your child’s risk: avoid plastic toys and containers marked #3, #6, or #7; skip scented items; use glass or stainless steel; and choose BPA- and phthalate-free products whenever possible. Your early actions could shape lifelong lung health.