Substance and Sources
Effect of Phthalates on Health
News and Discoveries
Avoiding Phthalates: Living the Science Recommendations and Resources
Do More
Research References

Substance and Sources:

What are Phthalates?

Phthalates are a group of man-made chemicals that are often used to provide flexibility and durability to plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Phthalates in pure form are usually clear liquids, some with sweet odors and some with faint yellow colors.

Common Sources:

Phthalate containing plastics are widely used. Phthalates are also included in many non-plastic items. They can be found in everything from food containers to toys, building materials, solvents and detergents. The most common pathway for phthalate exposure is through the diet via the ingestion of food that has been contaminated with phthalates – often via food containers. Phthalates are also present in the breast milk of exposed women, in cow’s milk, and in infant formula. Plastic tubing used for intravenous delivery of fluids, medicines and blood also contain phthalates.

Phthalates can also be absorbed through the skin when they are present in cosmetics, lotions, and sunscreens. Another pathway of phthalate exposure is via inhalation of phthalate containing indoor air. Phthalates are often released via off-gassing from building materials like indoor vinyl flooring and paints. Phthalates from off-gassing of building materials often attach to house dust which is then inhaled.

Effect of Phthalates on Health:

Many Phthalates are classified as endocrine disruptors and as such, they can interfere with the endocrine system in the body. Exposure to phthalates has been reported to result in a greater incidence of birth defects including cleft palate and skeletal malformations. Phthalate exposure has also been linked to an increased incidence of eczema and asthma in children and adults.

The male reproductive tract appears to be particularly sensitive to phthalate exposure. Studies have linked increased phthalate exposure with increased incidence of undescended testes, decreased testes weight and with decreased anogenital distance (distance between the anus and the base of the penis).

News and Discoveries:

National Research Council Report Says EPA Should Consider Cumulative Risks Posed by Phthalates
December 2008

A new report by the National Research Council says that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should consider the cumulative risks posed by phthalates when evaluating their effects and, in fact, should consider cumulative risk when evaluating most chemicals. Evaluation based on cumulative risk considers exposure from multiple pathways and considers the association between a chemical exposure and health effects.

Phthalates are used hundreds of consumer products including food containers, cosmetics, toys, and building materials. As such, it is likely that most people are exposed to phthalates via multiple pathways on a daily basis. Laws in the European Union and the United States restrict the concentrations of several phthalates in children's toys. The European Union has also banned several phthalates from cosmetics.

Phthalates have been shown to cause birth defects and to be associated with male reproductive defects and disorders in both human and animal studies. These effects of phthalates on male reproduction are somewhat similar to those of antiandrogens. Given these similarities, the committee recommended that phthalates and other chemicals that affect male reproduction be considered in any cumulative risk assessment. According to the committee, focusing only on phthalates could seriously under estimate their risk because other chemicals have similar effectsand as such, must be considered together to get a true picture of effects and risks.

Adoption of the committee recommendations – especially with respect to considering chemicals with similar health effects in risk assessment, would mean a dramatic change for the EPA and would require a substantial effort by EPA personnel. Currently the EPA
only considers chemicals that are structurally related when determining risk.

If such a strategy were adopted by the EPA it would mean that chemicals often considered to act independently from each other could now be considered in combination which, according to the committee, would likely yield a more accurate description of risk. The committee sited the example of lead, methylmercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls exposure as another specific example of how determination of cumulative risk should be done. Given that all these chemicals have been shown to be associated with cognitive deficits, consideration of all of the exposures in combination would yield the most accurate assessment risk.

Avoiding Phthalates: Living the Science Recommendations and Resources

One of the best ways to avoid phthalate exposure is to avoid letting them leach into food and drink via containers. You can do this by using aluminum and stainless steel beverage containers and by using glass heating and food storage containers in place of plastic ones. Other strategies for reducing phthalate exposure includes buying organic meats and dairy products, organic baby formula, all natural cosmetics, non-toxic/ natural cleaning products, and by buying green building materials. Below are some links to specific safer products available through Amazon.com and other Living the Science partners:

Safer Plastics and Storage Containers
Natural Cosmetics
Green Cleaning Products
Organic Food and Drinks
Organic Baby Products
Green Building Products

Do More:

 

Several organizations including the Sierra Clubare working to help keep our food and water safe. Consider joining this or another organization doing this important work.

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2.  Environmental Protection Agency Ground Water and Drinking Water. 2002. "Technical Fact Sheet on: Di(2-Ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)." http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwh/t-soc/dehp.html.
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6.  U.S. National Toxicology Program, Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction. 2007. "NTP-CERHR Reports and Monographs." http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/reports/index.html.
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11.  Bosnir, J., et al. 2003. "Migration of phthalates from plastic products to model solutions." Coll.Antropol. 27 Suppl 1:23-30.
12.  Karle, V.A., et al. 1997. "Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation exposes infants to the plasticizer, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate." Crit Care Med. 25(4):696-703.
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