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Plastics may disrupt the body’s clock, raise risk of chronic disease, study finds

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Tuesday, April 15, 2025

This article was originally published by U.S. Right To Know and is republished here with permission under a Creative Commons license.Chemicals found in common food packaging plastics like cling film and snack pouches may interfere with the body’s natural 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, increasing the risk of sleep disorders, diabetes, immune problems, and even cancer, new research shows. Published this month in Environment International, the study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is the first to show that everyday polyurethane (PUR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics contain compounds that can disrupt the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) by quickly interfering with a specific cell signal (A1R) linked to sleep and light. Unlike previous research that focused on slow, hormone-related effects, this study reveals a faster, direct impact on key “clock genes” through a different kind of biological pathway. That means plastic chemicals may contribute to serious health problems like diabetes or cancers in more ways than scientists currently know, the researchers say.“All of our cells follow a circadian rhythm, and the chemicals found in plastics can change that rhythm. Importantly, these chemicals are making rapid changes in our cells that can turn into sustained changes over longer periods of time,” says lead author Molly Young McPartland. “Circadian rhythms are one outcome affected by the biological pathway initiated by A1R, but not the only one. This work really demonstrates how much we still have to learn about exactly how plastic chemicals can affect our cells.”Plastic chemicals may throw our body clock off balancePlastic compounds in everything from toys to personal care products can harm health when they leach into the environment and human body. PVC and PUR are among the most common types of plastics, found nearly everywhere in our homes, schools, and offices.For example:PVC is used in food packaging like clear trays, blister packs (e.g., for gum), and shrink wraps, especially for meats and produce. PUR is typically found in multilayer flexible packaging as an adhesive or coating—such as in snack pouches and foil-lined food wrappers—and sometimes in foam inserts for protecting delicate items like chocolates.Our body’s 24-hour internal clock controls sleep, metabolism, immune function, cell repair, and other essential functions. The circadian rhythm is influenced by environmental cues like sunlight, temperature, and oxygen, as well as internal signals such as hormones and metabolism.When the rhythm is off balance, however, it has been shown to contribute to the development of serious long-term health problems like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease.Part of that may be due to the fact that plastic chemicals have long been known to release endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—such as phthalates and bisphenols—that can interfere with the body’s hormone systems. Now, this study highlights a new potential impact disrupting the timing of two key genes that help control the body’s internal clock.The delays are less powerful than what happens after caffeine consumption or bedtime exposure to light, the researchers note. Many factors also affect how sensitive an individual may be to both internal and external signals that control the body clock.However, long-term, frequent exposure to plastic chemicals—especially through food packaging—makes the potential impact more concerning, the researchers say. When repeated daily and combined with other environmental disruptions, exposure could shift the timing of key body processes that contribute to negative health impacts over time, they say. Caffeine wakes us up, plastics do the oppositeFor this study, the researchers tested chemical mixtures extracted from polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride on U20S lab cells. These cells are derived from a human bone cancer (osteosarcoma) cell line that is often used to study how biological clocks work at the cellular level.What they found involves a type of protein called the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R), which is found on the surface of cells throughout the body, especially in the brain, the researchers say.A1R has a well-established link to the sleep-wake cycle and uses the same pathways in the body that respond to light. In humans, caffeine blocks A1R to keep us awake—but plastic chemicals appear to quickly activate it, the researchers found.When A1R is activated, it lowers levels of a molecule that plays a key role in keeping the circadian clock running smoothly. This, in turn, delays two “clock genes,” which are essential for maintaining the body’s daily rhythms.The study was done in vitro (outside the body, in a lab), so the results might not apply directly to humans. However, the researchers say the findings “provide strong evidence that the chemicals in PUR and PVC plastics disrupt the molecular clock” because the effects changed with the dose and could be reversed.The researchers measured these “clock genes” every 4 hours over two days and found the activity of these genes was delayed by 9 to 17 minutes. When they blocked A1R using a drug, the delays disappeared.A call for safer plastics, tighter controlsThe study notes that large gaps still exist in scientists’ understanding of how plastic chemicals affect the body on a molecular level. Only a handful of chemicals—such as acrylamide, tolylfluanid, and some phthalates, which are used to make plastics softer and more durable—have been shown to disrupt core clock genes in mammals, but their mechanisms remain unclear.More studies are needed, along with calls for safer plastics and stricter regulation of plastic chemicals, the researchers say.“This study adds to the increasing body of evidence that plastics contain compounds causing a wide range of toxic effects,” they say. “A fundamental shift in the design and production of plastics is essential to ensure their safety. Reducing both the number and the hazards of chemicals in plastics can decrease exposures and lessen their impacts on public health.”

This article was originally published by U.S. Right To Know and is republished here with permission under a Creative Commons license.Chemicals found in common food packaging plastics like cling film and snack pouches may interfere with the body’s natural 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, increasing the risk of sleep disorders, diabetes, immune problems, and even cancer, new research shows. Published this month in Environment International, the study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is the first to show that everyday polyurethane (PUR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics contain compounds that can disrupt the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) by quickly interfering with a specific cell signal (A1R) linked to sleep and light. Unlike previous research that focused on slow, hormone-related effects, this study reveals a faster, direct impact on key “clock genes” through a different kind of biological pathway. That means plastic chemicals may contribute to serious health problems like diabetes or cancers in more ways than scientists currently know, the researchers say.“All of our cells follow a circadian rhythm, and the chemicals found in plastics can change that rhythm. Importantly, these chemicals are making rapid changes in our cells that can turn into sustained changes over longer periods of time,” says lead author Molly Young McPartland. “Circadian rhythms are one outcome affected by the biological pathway initiated by A1R, but not the only one. This work really demonstrates how much we still have to learn about exactly how plastic chemicals can affect our cells.”Plastic chemicals may throw our body clock off balancePlastic compounds in everything from toys to personal care products can harm health when they leach into the environment and human body. PVC and PUR are among the most common types of plastics, found nearly everywhere in our homes, schools, and offices.For example:PVC is used in food packaging like clear trays, blister packs (e.g., for gum), and shrink wraps, especially for meats and produce. PUR is typically found in multilayer flexible packaging as an adhesive or coating—such as in snack pouches and foil-lined food wrappers—and sometimes in foam inserts for protecting delicate items like chocolates.Our body’s 24-hour internal clock controls sleep, metabolism, immune function, cell repair, and other essential functions. The circadian rhythm is influenced by environmental cues like sunlight, temperature, and oxygen, as well as internal signals such as hormones and metabolism.When the rhythm is off balance, however, it has been shown to contribute to the development of serious long-term health problems like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease.Part of that may be due to the fact that plastic chemicals have long been known to release endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—such as phthalates and bisphenols—that can interfere with the body’s hormone systems. Now, this study highlights a new potential impact disrupting the timing of two key genes that help control the body’s internal clock.The delays are less powerful than what happens after caffeine consumption or bedtime exposure to light, the researchers note. Many factors also affect how sensitive an individual may be to both internal and external signals that control the body clock.However, long-term, frequent exposure to plastic chemicals—especially through food packaging—makes the potential impact more concerning, the researchers say. When repeated daily and combined with other environmental disruptions, exposure could shift the timing of key body processes that contribute to negative health impacts over time, they say. Caffeine wakes us up, plastics do the oppositeFor this study, the researchers tested chemical mixtures extracted from polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride on U20S lab cells. These cells are derived from a human bone cancer (osteosarcoma) cell line that is often used to study how biological clocks work at the cellular level.What they found involves a type of protein called the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R), which is found on the surface of cells throughout the body, especially in the brain, the researchers say.A1R has a well-established link to the sleep-wake cycle and uses the same pathways in the body that respond to light. In humans, caffeine blocks A1R to keep us awake—but plastic chemicals appear to quickly activate it, the researchers found.When A1R is activated, it lowers levels of a molecule that plays a key role in keeping the circadian clock running smoothly. This, in turn, delays two “clock genes,” which are essential for maintaining the body’s daily rhythms.The study was done in vitro (outside the body, in a lab), so the results might not apply directly to humans. However, the researchers say the findings “provide strong evidence that the chemicals in PUR and PVC plastics disrupt the molecular clock” because the effects changed with the dose and could be reversed.The researchers measured these “clock genes” every 4 hours over two days and found the activity of these genes was delayed by 9 to 17 minutes. When they blocked A1R using a drug, the delays disappeared.A call for safer plastics, tighter controlsThe study notes that large gaps still exist in scientists’ understanding of how plastic chemicals affect the body on a molecular level. Only a handful of chemicals—such as acrylamide, tolylfluanid, and some phthalates, which are used to make plastics softer and more durable—have been shown to disrupt core clock genes in mammals, but their mechanisms remain unclear.More studies are needed, along with calls for safer plastics and stricter regulation of plastic chemicals, the researchers say.“This study adds to the increasing body of evidence that plastics contain compounds causing a wide range of toxic effects,” they say. “A fundamental shift in the design and production of plastics is essential to ensure their safety. Reducing both the number and the hazards of chemicals in plastics can decrease exposures and lessen their impacts on public health.”



This article was originally published by U.S. Right To Know and is republished here with permission under a Creative Commons license.

Chemicals found in common food packaging plastics like cling film and snack pouches may interfere with the body’s natural 24-hour sleep-wake cycle, increasing the risk of sleep disorders, diabetes, immune problems, and even cancer, new research shows.

Published this month in Environment International, the study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology is the first to show that everyday polyurethane (PUR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics contain compounds that can disrupt the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) by quickly interfering with a specific cell signal (A1R) linked to sleep and light.

Unlike previous research that focused on slow, hormone-related effects, this study reveals a faster, direct impact on key “clock genes” through a different kind of biological pathway. That means plastic chemicals may contribute to serious health problems like diabetes or cancers in more ways than scientists currently know, the researchers say.

“All of our cells follow a circadian rhythm, and the chemicals found in plastics can change that rhythm. Importantly, these chemicals are making rapid changes in our cells that can turn into sustained changes over longer periods of time,” says lead author Molly Young McPartland. “Circadian rhythms are one outcome affected by the biological pathway initiated by A1R, but not the only one. This work really demonstrates how much we still have to learn about exactly how plastic chemicals can affect our cells.”

Plastic chemicals may throw our body clock off balance


Plastic compounds in everything from toys to personal care products can harm health when they leach into the environment and human body. PVC and PUR are among the most common types of plastics, found nearly everywhere in our homes, schools, and offices.

For example:

  • PVC is used in food packaging like clear trays, blister packs (e.g., for gum), and shrink wraps, especially for meats and produce.
  • PUR is typically found in multilayer flexible packaging as an adhesive or coating—such as in snack pouches and foil-lined food wrappers—and sometimes in foam inserts for protecting delicate items like chocolates.

Our body’s 24-hour internal clock controls sleep, metabolism, immune function, cell repair, and other essential functions. The circadian rhythm is influenced by environmental cues like sunlight, temperature, and oxygen, as well as internal signals such as hormones and metabolism.

When the rhythm is off balance, however, it has been shown to contribute to the development of serious long-term health problems like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease.

Part of that may be due to the fact that plastic chemicals have long been known to release endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)—such as phthalates and bisphenols—that can interfere with the body’s hormone systems.

Now, this study highlights a new potential impact disrupting the timing of two key genes that help control the body’s internal clock.

The delays are less powerful than what happens after caffeine consumption or bedtime exposure to light, the researchers note. Many factors also affect how sensitive an individual may be to both internal and external signals that control the body clock.

However, long-term, frequent exposure to plastic chemicals—especially through food packaging—makes the potential impact more concerning, the researchers say. When repeated daily and combined with other environmental disruptions, exposure could shift the timing of key body processes that contribute to negative health impacts over time, they say.

Caffeine wakes us up, plastics do the opposite


For this study, the researchers tested chemical mixtures extracted from polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride on U20S lab cells. These cells are derived from a human bone cancer (osteosarcoma) cell line that is often used to study how biological clocks work at the cellular level.

What they found involves a type of protein called the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R), which is found on the surface of cells throughout the body, especially in the brain, the researchers say.

A1R has a well-established link to the sleep-wake cycle and uses the same pathways in the body that respond to light. In humans, caffeine blocks A1R to keep us awake—but plastic chemicals appear to quickly activate it, the researchers found.

When A1R is activated, it lowers levels of a molecule that plays a key role in keeping the circadian clock running smoothly. This, in turn, delays two “clock genes,” which are essential for maintaining the body’s daily rhythms.

The study was done in vitro (outside the body, in a lab), so the results might not apply directly to humans. However, the researchers say the findings “provide strong evidence that the chemicals in PUR and PVC plastics disrupt the molecular clock” because the effects changed with the dose and could be reversed.

The researchers measured these “clock genes” every 4 hours over two days and found the activity of these genes was delayed by 9 to 17 minutes. When they blocked A1R using a drug, the delays disappeared.

A call for safer plastics, tighter controls


The study notes that large gaps still exist in scientists’ understanding of how plastic chemicals affect the body on a molecular level. Only a handful of chemicals—such as acrylamide, tolylfluanid, and some phthalates, which are used to make plastics softer and more durable—have been shown to disrupt core clock genes in mammals, but their mechanisms remain unclear.

More studies are needed, along with calls for safer plastics and stricter regulation of plastic chemicals, the researchers say.

“This study adds to the increasing body of evidence that plastics contain compounds causing a wide range of toxic effects,” they say. “A fundamental shift in the design and production of plastics is essential to ensure their safety. Reducing both the number and the hazards of chemicals in plastics can decrease exposures and lessen their impacts on public health.”

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

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Mattresses releasing dangerous chemicals in children's bedrooms: Studies

Invisible chemicals rising from children’s mattresses may be harming their brains and bodies. That’s according to a pair of studies published on Tuesday, which found troubling levels of plastic-like “phthalate” chemicals and flame retardants in the bedrooms of children under four. "Parents should be able to lay their children down for sleep knowing they are safe and...

Invisible chemicals rising from children’s mattresses may be harming their brains and bodies. That’s according to a pair of studies published on Tuesday, which found troubling levels of plastic-like “phthalate” chemicals and flame retardants in the bedrooms of children under four. "Parents should be able to lay their children down for sleep knowing they are safe and snug,” said co-author Arlene Blum, Executive Director of the Green Science Policy Institute, in a statement. While there are some steps that parents can take to help keep their kids safe, the problem is pervasive, researchers argued. The Canadian scientists found that found that the weight and temperature of the sleeping child helped create a plume of trace chemicals that filled their bedrooms. These chemicals can harm the nervous and reproductive system. They also mimic and interfere with systems of hormones, or chemical messengers that help control virtually all bodily functions. The researchers from the University of Toronto argued that much of the responsibility lies with manufacturers and policymakers. Decades-long campaigns have sought to ban phthalates and plasticizers in children’s toys and furniture, with limited success. Even where these efforts have been successful, manufacturers don’t always follow them, and government regulators often don't enforce them. Tuesday’s study found several mattresses containing chemicals that were banned in Canada — suggesting manufacturers weren't testing for compounds known to be harmful. This controversy is particularly fierce around flame retardants, which Blum noted “have a long history of harming our children’s cognitive function and ability to learn.” Similar chemicals are required by law in the interior of cars — where a 2024 study found that they increased cancer risks for tens of millions of commuters.  Those requirements remain despite repeated findings that so-called flame retardants do little to slow the spread of fire. They do, however, make those fires “smokier and more toxic,” as a spokesperson from the International Association of Firefighters said last year. Mattresses across North America may pose a similar threat, Tuesday’s findings found.  Despite some benefits in reducing flammability, federal research from the National Institute of Environmental Health Service (NIEHS) has found flame retardant chemicals cause widespread, insidious harms as they slough off mattresses and furniture. These include links to impaired attention, cognition and fine motor skills in school age children. And for phthalates, which are used to make plastic-derived compounds more supple, researchers have found that there may be no safe level of exposure. Phthalates alone caused nearly $70 billion in added health costs just in 2018, a 2024 study found. Copious research has found that exposure to phthalates and flame retardants is harmful to people of all ages.  But NIEHS notes that the risk is particularly stark for children. That’s because children breathe up to ten times faster than adults — allowing them to take in far more airborne contaminants. Their skin is also more permeable to toxins than adults', and they frequently put potentially toxic objects from their homes into their mouths. In Tuesday’s findings, scientists focused on manufacturers and North American governments, who they said had to do more to ban dangerous plasticizers and flame retardants from mattresses and toys. But there are some things that parents and caregivers can do, they said. First, wash and change a child’s sheets and blankets frequently, because these offer the best shield against the mattress. Second, they continued, declutter the sleeping area by removing excess blankets and toys — which are likely sources of contamination themselves. Finally, they advised avoiding bright-colored sheets and blankets, which often include chemicals meant to block the assault of ultraviolet light — compounds which pose an additional threat. But the researchers emphasized that this was not a problem parents could solve for themselves. The study is “a wake-up call for manufacturers and policymakers to ensure our children’s beds are safe,” coauthor Miriam Diamond of University of Toronto said in a statement.

Chemicals
Government
Science

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