New York — 'Safe' Plastic Chemical Dinch Tied to Lower Birth Weight

A chemical marketed by industry as a "high safety," nontoxic replacement for older plastic additives is linked to lower birth weight and fetal growth complications, according to a peer-reviewed study by researchers at NYU Langone Health, The Guardian reported.

The chemical, known as Dinch, is used in soft plastic food packaging, children's toys, medical devices, textiles and flooring across the United States and European Union, according to the Guardian. The new paper is the first to connect Dinch exposure to lower birth weights and shorter birth lengths, the outlet reported.

What Is Dinch and Why Did Industry Adopted It?

Dinch, formally 1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester, is used to make plastic more flexible and durable, according to the Guardian. It appears in cling film and plastic wine corks, among other kitchen products, the outlet reported.

Industry began shifting to Dinch and similar compounds after health risks tied to common phthalate plasticizers became clear over recent decades, according to the Guardian. Dinch was promoted as a "high safety" alternative, the outlet reported, even though the Guardian said there has been a dearth of research into the chemical's health risks. What research does exist points to Dinch acting as a hormone disruptor capable of affecting children's development, according to the Guardian.

What Did the NYU Study Find?

The NYU Langone Health analysis of federal health data found that exposure to Dinch is associated with lower birth weight and birth length, the Guardian reported. The authors wrote that fetal growth problems linked to the exposure can raise the risk of heart disease, learning difficulties, obesity and other conditions that can persist into adolescence and adulthood, according to the outlet.

"Chemicals should be properly tested for their safety before they become a widespread exposure for unwitting people in the general public," said Leonardo Trasande, a lead author on the NYU paper, according to the Guardian.

The Guardian described the findings as appearing to expose another example of industry replacing one dangerous chemical with a compound carrying similar health effects.

How Was the Research Conducted?

Researchers examined data covering more than 6,600 pregnancies, collected as part of a National Institutes of Health environmental health study, according to the Guardian. The size of that pregnancy cohort gives the study a broader base than many single-site chemical exposure analyses, though the Guardian's account did not detail the specific exposure measurement methods or statistical adjustments used by the NYU team.

What Health Risks Does Low Birth Weight Carry?

The study authors tied fetal growth complications to a range of downstream health risks, including heart disease, learning difficulties and obesity, problems that researchers said can extend from childhood into adulthood, the Guardian reported. The Guardian's account did not include additional figures quantifying the magnitude of the birth weight reduction or the statistical strength of the association, so those details are omitted here pending further reporting or the published paper itself.

What Happens Next?

The Guardian's report ties the Dinch findings to a broader pattern of regulatory and industry responses to legacy phthalate plasticizers, chemicals that drove the original shift toward alternatives like Dinch. The outlet's coverage did not specify whether the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration or EU regulators have responded to the new findings or are reviewing Dinch's regulatory status.

What to watch:

• Whether the FDA or EPA issues any statement on Dinch exposure limits in food packaging following the NYU findings.
• Whether additional peer-reviewed studies replicate the birth weight association using different pregnancy cohorts.
• Whether manufacturers of food packaging, toys or medical devices disclose Dinch content or shift to alternative plasticizers.
• Whether European Union regulators, who oversee widespread Dinch use, open any new risk assessment.

The Guardian noted Dinch's use spans products ranging from children's toys to medical devices, meaning any regulatory response could touch multiple industries beyond food packaging alone. Read the Guardian's full report.