What Are Phthalates & Why to Avoid Them

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How and why to avoid phthalates-the hormone disrupting chemical hiding in your household products
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For those of us interested in nontoxic personal care, trying to navigate the ever-growing list of chemicals to avoid can be overwhelming. Phthalates are on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen List Endocrine Disruptors,” but what exactly are they and what harm do they cause?

What Are Phthalates?

Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make certain plastics softer, more flexible, and less fragile. Two million metric tons of them are produced each year!

Sound like a lot? It is… That’s 4,409,245,244 lbs, which equals the weight of 367,437 African elephants or 6 Empire State Buildings! Each. Year.

How Are They Used?

There are over 20 different types of phthalates that are commonly used in hundreds of products, such as:

  • Construction materials and industrial products such as vinyl flooring, adhesives, detergents, lubricating oils, automotive plastics, solvents, materials, adhesives, varnishes, and wires and cabling for machines and appliances.
  • Home Products: shower curtains, wallpaper, vinyl mini-blinds, food packaging and plastic wrap, garden hoses, printing ink, sporting goods
  • Medical Equipment: tubing, storage bags, fluid and blood bags, catheters, feeding tubes, anesthetic, and dialysis equipment
  • Toys and Clothing: Inflatable toys, raincoats, rubber boots
  • Cosmetics: nail polish, perfume, hair spray

Concerns About Phthalate Exposure

Exposure to phthalates can occur by ingestion, inhalation, and through skin contact. Plastic storage containers can contaminate foods and drinks. We can breathe dust that has come into contact with vinyl wallpaper, mini-blinds, shower curtains, or recently installed vinyl flooring. When we put phthalate-containing cosmetics on our skin and near mucous membranes we can absorb small amounts.

Of particular concern are the phthalates used in medical equipment. It can pose a problem for those who often need IV medical treatments, such as dialysis patients or hemophiliacs who require blood transfusions.

Phthalates and their effects can be an occupational hazard for those who work in plastic manufacturing or with the many industrial products which contain chemicals. Those at risk include individuals who work in home construction and remodeling, painters, printers, and those who work in plastics manufacturing.

At the greatest risk for exposure however are children, especially in-utero during the crucial stages of fetal development. Babies and toddlers under 36 months of age are also at risk because they naturally put things in their mouth, especially their toys (which are often plastic).

Effects of Phthalates?

The greatest concern is the way phthalates affect reproductive organs and hormones, especially in prepubescent males. Some have been linked to breast and other cancers, allergies, obesity, thyroid, and other hormonal disruption.

To understand these risks in greater detail, let’s look at three specific phthalates.

Diethylhexyl Phthalate DEHP/DOP

DEHP or DOP is most commonly used as a plasticizer in polymer products, often in flexible PVC. Flexible PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is used to make a number of products including building materials such as roofing, cables, flooring, and plumbing pipes. DEHP is also used to make blood bags and dialysis equipment.

DEHP is in consumer products such as shower curtains, car interiors, and even exercise balls. The highest exposure from consumer products occurs in children and comes from toys and other products related to childcare. Infants can be exposed to 6 mg/kg/day of DEHP through breastmilk, or 13mg/kg/day through formula.

It is also possible to be exposed to DEHP, and other phthalates through the environment, especially for those who live near industries that use the chemical. Even those who don’t live near manufacturing facilities can be exposed through water runoff from landfills, PVC pipes, and from buildings constructed with DEHP. This is one reason we make it a priority to use air and water filters at home.

Negative Effects

Studies investigating the toxicity of DEHP have shown it affects two organs in particular: the testicles and kidneys. It can increase the size of kidneys, and the occurrence of kidney stones as well as the size of the stones.

DEHP can also cause atrophy of the testes, decreasing their size and under very high dosages causing changes to sperm. It seems that pre-pubescent males are more sensitive to their effects than adults.

Studies also show that DEHP can interfere with the function of the male endocrine system, affect sexual development, and lower fertility in mice and rats.

Based on these studies, the European Union established the amounts of DEHP needed to produce toxicity and negative effects as being equal or greater than the following:

  • 4.8mg/kg/day to affect testes and sexual development
  • 20mg/kg/day to affect fertility
  • 29mg/kg/day to affect the kidneys

For comparison, the highest DEHP exposures come from necessary and lifesaving medical equipment and procedures. Adults receiving long-term hemodialysis will produce DEHP metabolites in the urine at levels of 3.1 mg/kg/day and neonatal blood transfusions can generate metabolite levels of 1.7mg/kg/day in infants.

Diethylphthalate DEP

According to a survey conducted by the FDA in 2010, DEP is the only phthalate still commonly used in cosmetics as solvent and fixative in fragrance. In 2001 the fragrance industry was using around 4,000 tons of DEP annually.

Because of laws in place to protect fragrance formulations, companies do not have to disclose the ingredients of the fragrances put into products such as perfumes, make-up, hair care products, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, or even candles.

Other cosmetic products which often include DEP are bath oils and salts, eye shadow, hair spray, aftershave lotions, nail polish, and nail polish remover.

It can also be found in toothbrushes, plastic packaging, mosquito repellant, and even as an ingredient in aspirin coatings.

The European Union recommends the daily permitted exposure level of DEP to be 4mg/kg/day. This is a much higher level than others because it is considered to be one of the safer phthalates. In animal studies, it took much higher doses than this to produce negative effects.

Developmental Effects

Often, side effects were only observed in the offspring of the rats given doses of DEP, suggesting that the effects may be longer term than what has currently been studied. These developmental defects were delayed ear unfolding, delayed eye opening, and delayed vaginal opening in first generation pups.

Embryo-fetal development studies carried out on mice and rats also observed a reduced number of pups per litter, reduced pup weight at birth, and an increased frequency of skeletal “variations” in pups after pregnant females were given high doses of DEP. Males also had decreased epididymal sperm concentrations.

How DEP Exposure Happens

A 2003 report from the World Health Organization on the chemical stressed that these studies may not prove conclusive. DEP is present in the majority of laboratory equipment, therefore it is difficult to prevent contamination in control groups.

We can be exposed to DEP through food that has been stored or shipped in plastic packaging. One study from Great Britain found that baked goods placed in boxes made from thin cardboard with plastic windows containing DEP had concentrations of the phthalate of 1.7-4.5 mg/kg even though the food had not touched the plastic!

Low levels have even been detected in aluminum foil packaging. Like other phthalates, we can also be exposed to DEP via our water, air, and medical equipment.

Thankfully, surveys conducted in the early 2000s found that the average exposure levels of DEP were way below 4 mg/kg/day. One example is an American survey from 2000 which tested 97 women aged 20 – 40 years and found that the median exposure was 13mg/kg/day, (13 micrograms/kilogram of body weight/day) and the maximum concentration was 170mg/kg/day, which is 23.5 times less than the recommended daily limit of 4mg/kg/day.

Currently, DEP is considered to pose no health threat to humans and is therefore not regulated.

Dibutyl Phthalate DBP

DBP is has a lower molecular weight than other phthalates and is often used in combination with those of higher weights, especially DEHP. It is used as a solvent in many oil-soluble dyes, in printing inks, sealants and grouting agents, adhesives, film coatings, insecticides, other organic compounds, as well as a fiber lubricant in textile manufacturing. It has also been used as a perfume solvent and fixative, a suspension agent for solids in aerosols, a lubricant for aerosol valves, and a plasticizer in nail polish.

A major concern regarding DBP to consumers is its toxicity to reproductive organs and hormone pathways. According to a report published by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, a subset of the European Medicines Agency, DBP is believed to disrupt the “development of androgen-dependent structures in animals by inhibiting fetal testicular testosterone biosyntheses.”

The European Union has banned the use of this ingredient in toys, childcare articles, and cosmetics. The State of California has classified it as a reproductive and developmental toxicant. Studies have demonstrated that DBP can change the expression of genes important in the synthesis of sex hormones and in the development of the reproductive organs.

DBP has also been correlated with changes in sperm motility and decreased sperm concentration, decreased fertility, and changes in hormone levels in adult men, according to the EWG.

This being said, there is not enough evidence to conclude that is carcinogenic, though some sources suggest that the mounting evidence points to this.

Thyroid Effects

It is not just the reproductive system that is affected either. A 2007 Taiwanese study found that pregnant women with higher concentrations of DBP had a tendency towards hypothyroidism.

Based on these human and animal studies, an acceptable daily intake has been established by toxicologists at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as 0.2 mg/kg/day. In the European Union, the tolerable daily intake is established as 0.01mg/kg/day.

Phthalates Exposure

The major source of DBP exposure to the general population is via the food supply, followed by drinking water, soil, and ambient air. Some researchers believe that we are getting a sizable exposure to DBP by inhaling it.

Children are once again at the highest risk, because of mouthing behaviors and other exposures. In one study, the teachers and students of a German nursery school were measured for DBP metabolites in their urine. The data showed that the children had three times the amount of DBP in their systems than the adults.

The participants in this study filled out questionnaires to help identify the source of the DBP exposure. From this information, the researchers also concluded that the use of body and skincare products may have had a significant influence on the DBP exposure of the children.

What Is Being Done to Reduce Phthalates?

Thanks to consumer advocacy groups, Congress caught up with the European Union and banned DEHP, DBP, and BBP (butylbenzyl phthalate) to any amount greater than 0.1% (1,000 parts per million) for each individual phthalate in children’s toys or childcare articles that are designed to promote sleep, feeding or drinking, or aid teething or sucking (pacifiers).

Three additional phthalates, DINP (diisononyl phthalate), DIDP (Diisodecyl phthalate), and DnOP (Di-n-octyl phthalate) were also banned on an interim basis to the same amount, but only applied to toys that children could put in their mouth as well as childcare articles.

In 2014, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) proposed another permanent ban of an additional five phthalates from toys and childcare articles. It recommends that DIBP (diisobutyl phthalate), DnPP (di-n-hexyl phthalate), DINP, DPENP, DHEXP and DCHP be permanently banned under the same regulations and it recommended lifting the interim ban on DIDP and DnOP.

It seems that regulations have improved exposure rates, according to a study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco. Even so, while the levels of banned phthalates have decreased companies are replacing them with legal phthalates that have also been shown to cause negative health effects.

How to Limit Your Exposure to Phthalates

Even with the recent regulations, phthalates are ubiquitous in our modern world. While there are many sources that we can’t avoid, there are many ways we can limit our exposure.

1. Use Less Plastic in the Kitchen

You have probably heard me say this one before. Trade plastic food storage containers for glass or ceramic and avoid buying food wrapped in plastic. Opt for reusable produce bags when shopping at the grocery store.

Trying to avoid plastic-wrapped meat can be difficult, especially when shopping at farmer’s markets. Often it means purchasing from the butcher’s counter instead of picking up protein from the meat section or talking to a local farmer about wrapping in paper or other materials.

Resealable plastic bags come in handy for weekly meal preps as a way to store leftovers or chopped vegetables. There are phthalate-free plastic bags available or a better option are these biodegradable bags. We’ve also switched to food-safe silicone storage bags which are not only reusable, but dishwasher safe too.

Since phthalates are oil soluble it is especially important to purchase cooking oils in glass bottles and jars.

2. Avoid Products Made with Vinyl, PVC, and Plastic #3

If you are considering installing floors, try to avoid vinyl flooring especially if you have young children. There are also PVC-free shower curtains which won’t stink up your bathroom for months with volatile organic compounds.

Look for PVC-free air mattresses, and/or cover mattresses with a sure guard mattress protector.

While regulations limit the amount of some phthalates in toys these don’t often apply to school supplies. Avoid plastic backpacks, pencil cases, and binders and opt for cloth or cardboard.

When it comes to toys it can be difficult to limit plastics. However, there are eco-friendly and phthalate-free options available. Or you can opt for non-plastic toys made of wood, cloth, or metal. Blocks, teddy bears, and bicycles are classic toys for a reason!

3. Avoid Fragrances

Since companies do not have to disclose their fragrance ingredients and phthalates are often used to stabilize them, opting for fragrance-free cleaning and beauty products is key. Check out some of my natural and green cleaning recommendations here.

If you miss the “clean scents” of your favorite products you can always add a few drops of essential oils like lemon, lavender, and rosemary, and you can always make your own perfume.

4. Make (or Buy) Natural Beauty Products

When I tell people I make my own beauty products, they often comment that it seems too complicated or that they don’t have the time. This is why I made it my mission to launch my own brand of beauty products! Learn more about my Wellnesse shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste and what I did to create safe, phthalate-free products for your family in this post.

Of course, if you have always wanted to DIY your own natural toiletries, we’ve got that covered too! With a handful of simple and safe ingredients, you can make your own natural and inexpensive products.

If you are new to DIY beauty products, start with these simple recipes:

This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board-certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Were you aware of the dangers of phthalates? Do you avoid them?

How to avoid phthalates-the hormone disrupting chemical lurking in personal care products
Sources
  1. Jackson-Browne MS, Papandonatos GD, Chen A, Yolton K, Lanphear BP, Braun JM. Early-life triclosan exposure and parent-reported behavior problems in 8-year-old children. Environ Int. 2019 Jul;128:446-456. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.01.021.
  2. Li N, Papandonatos GD, Calafat AM, Yolton K, Lanphear BP, Chen A, Braun JM. Gestational and childhood exposure to phthalates and child behavior. Environ Int. 2020 Nov;144:106036. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106036.
  3. Shoaff JR, Coull B, Weuve J, et al. Association of Exposure to Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals During Adolescence With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-Related Behaviors. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(8):e2015041. Published 2020 Aug 3. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.15041
  4. Kerstin Becker et al. GerES IV: Phthalate metabolites and bisphenol A in urine of German children.
    International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 2009, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2009.08.002.
  5. Eyster KM, Mark CJ, Gayle R, Martin DS. The effects of estrogen and testosterone on gene expression in the rat mesenteric arteries. Vascul Pharmacol. 2007;47(4):238-247. doi:10.1016/j.vph.2007.06.007

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Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

25 responses to “What Are Phthalates & Why to Avoid Them”

  1. Terry Avatar

    Hi Anne. You can get silicone tubing at most Hardware stores and Home improvement stores. That might an option. Just clean it out well before using it.

  2. Anne Avatar

    Does anyone know how to avoid PVC in the hot/cold tubing that runs to our faucet? We have been filling our Berkey with our kitchen sink sprayer and I just realized it is probably made with PVC! Any brand recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

  3. Heather Harty Avatar
    Heather Harty

    Hi There,

    Do you have any posts regarding safest/healthiest/least toxic flooring options for home interiors? We are building/remodeling and looking for flooring ideas. I tried searching your blog for an anything related to this, but couldn’t find anything. I would love and appreciate any help or references you could give regarding this topic.

    Thank you in advance, and warmest Regards!
    Heather H

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      I haven’t written about that before, but there are some good cork, bamboo, and non-toxic hardwood options available…

  4. Colleen Avatar

    Hi Katie!
    I buy my coconut oil from Tropical Traditions in the gallon size plastic pails. Should I be buying the smaller quart size since the oil would be in glass and not plastic?

    Thanks!!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      Glass would be best, but if you use a lot of coconut oil, it is sure hard to turn that discount! They do use a very high-quality plastic #2 container, so it is not quite as bad as it could be, though.

  5. Claudia Nelson Avatar
    Claudia Nelson

    So in this case is polymer clay hazardous to our body? I enjoy making charms but not if it is unsafe!

  6. Martha Avatar

    I have some plumbing work that needs to get done in my house and the plumber recommended PEX piping. Does anyone know if that contains phthalates. I know copper piping isn’t perfect but maybe I’ll stick with it.

  7. Deb Avatar

    Interesting article. I have read in other articles that only when re heating in a plastic container does the phytalates leach out into the foods. That it is the actual exposure to the heat that causes the exposure. Do you know if this is true ? Thanks

    1. Nadia Boribon Avatar
      Nadia Boribon

      That’s what I know at this stage too Deb. I would like to know if this does not apply anymore.

  8. Jaimi Avatar

    Thanks for writing an easy to understand article about this dangerous toxin. I just found out more yesterday about the phthalates found in children’s clothing and mainly pajamas. It’s so frustrating that avoiding toxins is so difficult. I did a 24 hour soak of my kids fleece pj’s in vinegar and now washing them in magnets and washing soda to hopefully help rid them of the toxins. I think from now on I’ll add buying organic clothing to my list though. Every time I think I’ve eliminated most of the toxins in our home…I find out about more sources. It is enough to make a mom crazy…

  9. Jackie Avatar

    What can we do about phthalates in our water supply; does the Berkey filter them out?

  10. Hannah Avatar

    It’s a very informative article and I am very determined to keep toxins out of my home and am slowly cooperating homemade beauty products and personal care products. But I have to admit, these kind of articles where the subject is impossible to avoid makes me a bit paranoid. Especially for those on a strict budget changing all the budget friendly items in our house for more “clean” items is not possible. So it leaves me worrying about them 🙂

    1. amy Avatar

      i agree. i just try to do my best and then NOT worry about it. because, A)worry is the greatest thief of joy and B) (In my opinion) Stressing about so much will ruin my health faster than most anything!

      1. Terry Avatar

        I agree. You can educate yourself, (Katie helps a lot in this) and then do your best. We can’t avoid it all, unfortunately. I’m finished raising my children but If I was still having babies and raising little ones that would be of the utmost importance as far as exposure to these toxic elements. They are most likely to suffer from them.

  11. Valerie Avatar

    The correct abbreviation for microgram is mcg or µg – not mg!
    The article is hard to understand with the incorrect abbreviation used.

  12. Virginia Miner Avatar
    Virginia Miner

    My daughter has a g-tube… I hate to think what all junk is getting in her system from that. Any ideas of what to do to mitigate unavoidable exposure?

  13. Harmony Avatar

    God Bless you Katie! Seriously – I hope the Lord showers blessings upon you and your family for the life-changing, even life-saving information and education you provide to soo many Moms (myself included). I feel so grateful and even empowered by knowing what so many others do not. And then there are days like today…. where I get discouraged. Deeply discouraged, by the fact that for every 1 good/healthy decision I make there are 3 or 5 maybe 10 decisions I’ve made/making that are not! There are moments, as brief and fleeting though they may be, that I miss the blissfully ignorant days, when as long as I wasn’t feeding my kids Fruit Loops & Pepsi I was doing good! When allowing them to play with the Step 2 Deluxe Kitchen and all the pretend (plastic, phthalate-filled) food was oh most certainly better than allowing them to sit in front of the boob-tube watching or playing video games for hours. (which I still believe is the better option 😉 but you get my point…Cuz I’ll tell ya , right now I’m seriously fighting the urge to bag up ALL that plastic, pretend food, plates, pots n pans etc for that kitchen – that I’ve been watching my 12month old daughter suck on for months now,- and fire it into the garbage bin. (which then creates another issue of it heading to the landfill…… urghhhh) The only thing stopping me is the fact that I know they’ll both FREAK OUT.. so i’ll buy wooden food and metal pots n pans and replace it all as we can afford it. While I did know that plastic toys weren’t ideal, I guess I didn’t realize that they were downright Harmful! ..so my question is Am I alone in feeling this way at times? I mean, you MUST go through these feelings some days too?? How do you deal with it? Any tips on that would be greatly appreciated and again…. thanks for all you do, I am far more grateful than discouraged by articles like this.

  14. Sarah Avatar

    PVC – look at the label in your purses! If it’s not leather or cloth; it’s PVC. Yikes!

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