Ms. Chaudhuri is a journalist in London and the author of the forthcoming book “Consumed: How Big Brands Got Us Hooked on Plastic.” In 1957, 92 percent of American children were potty-trained by 18 ...

That unexpected ingredient is something called a plasticizer: a chemical used to make plastic more flexible and durable. Today, plasticizers—the most common of which are called phthalates—show up ...

Everyday use of plastics in the kitchen releases microplastics into food and beverages, but there are practical solutions.