Phthalates Hidden in Plastics -- Urban Legend or Real Risk of Danger? I heard that phthalates found in plastics are harmful. Is this true?

Plastics have been at the forefront of urban legends, but in the case of phthalates there is legitimate concern. Phthalates are a group of chemicals called plasticizers that are added to vinyl plastics to make them flexible. They are commonly found in household and personal care items like toys, packaging, hoses, raincoats, shower curtains, nail polish and shampoo.

Phthalate worries.

According to Rolf Halden, Ph.D., P.E., assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, phthalates are environmental contaminants that can exhibit hormone-like behavior by acting as endocrine disruptors in humans and animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the health effects of phthalates in people are not yet fully known, but several studies explore possible associations with developmental and reproductive outcomes (semen quality, genital development in boys and shortened pregnancy.) In July 2008, the U.S. Congress passed legislation banning six phthalates from children's toys and cosmetics.

Unfortunately, exposure to phthalates is nearly ubiquitous through air, water, skin, food and even medical tubing. The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a public and environmental health advocacy group, analyzed data from the CDC in 2005 and determined that 84 percent of the U.S. population is contaminated with at least six different phthalates at any given time. Hence, EWG is currently pushing for a cumulative assessment of the human health risks of phthalates.

Phthalates in the food system. Studies have found that phthalates may be found in fat-containing foods; migrate into foods from plastic food wrappings, recycled fiber materials like paper and possibly printing inks used on wrappers; and enter foods during processing due to the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in food production and general contamination of the environment. Heating plastics can leach phthalates from containers into water and food.

On phthalate alert. To reduce exposures to phthalates, EWG suggests:

--Check the ingredient list of beauty products for dibutyl phthalate (DBP.)

--Use personal care and household products that do not contain "fragrance," which commonly includes the phthalate DEP.

--Avoid cooking or microwaving in plastic.

--Use a non-vinyl shower curtain.

--Use paints and other hobby products in well-ventilated areas.

--Give children phthalate-free toys.

--Urge medical facilities to reduce the use of products containing phthalates.

--Avoid products made of flexible PVC or vinyl plastic like PVC lawn furniture and building materials.

-- Visit Skin Deep (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com), EWG's database of personal care products with safety ratings based on toxicity.

 

 

(c) 2010 Environmental Nutrition