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Phthalates

Background

Sources and Uses: Phthalates are industrial chemicals added to many consumer products, including vinyl flooring adhesives; detergents; lubricating oils; solvents; food packaging; automotive plastics; plastic clothing, such as raincoats; and personal-care products, such as soap, shampoo, hair spray, and nail polish. Phthalates are widely used in flexible polyvinyl chloride plastics, such as plastic bags, food packaging, garden hoses, inflatable recreational toys, blood-storage containers, intravenous tubing, children?s toys, and some pharmaceutical and pesticide formulations.

Health Effects: People are exposed through direct contact with products that use phthalates or through food in contact with packaging that contains phthalates. The different phthalates vary in their ability to produce the following effects in animal studies: testicular injury, liver injury, liver cancer, anti-androgenic activity, teratogenicity, and peroxisomal proliferation. For example, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), benzylbutyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalates, and di-isononyl phthalate have reproductive effects in animal studies. Greater susceptibility to reproductive toxicity at lower doses occurs for in utero exposures or in younger animals.

Effects of phthalates in people have not been well studied and most phthalates have not been completely classified with respect to their carcinogenicity (see Phthalates Exposure Report [exit DNR, PDF 46KB] . The Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction of the NTP has recently reviewed the reproductive effects for many of the phthalates [exit DNR]. Information about external exposure (environmental levels) and health effects is also available for some of the phthalates from information on EPA IRIS [exit DNR] and from the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry (ATSDR) [exit DNR].

Ecological Effects: Soil and water contamination are greatest in areas of industrial use and waste disposal.

EPA Substance Registry Information: The registry lists 276 substances containing the word "phthalate". Some examples are: Diethyl phthalate (CAS 84-66-2); Dibutyl phthalates (CAS 84-74-2); Benzylbutyl phthalate (CAS 85-68-7); Dicyclohexyl phthalate (CAS 84-61-7); Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (CAS 117-81-7); Di-n-octyl phthalate (CAS 117-84-0); Di-isononyl phthalate (CAS 28553-12-0); Dimethyl phthalate (CAS 131-11-3)

Phthalate Monitoring and Research in Wisconsin

Source Monitoring and Reporting

Laboratory Certification

Cleanup and Management of Phthalates in Wisconsin

Air Management

  • Some phthalates are considered hazardous air pollutants (NR 445 [exit DNR] Wisc. Adm. Code) that are regulated under Wisconsin's Air Management Program.

Groundwater and Drinking Water Management

Remediation and Redevelopment

  • The DNR's RR program assists Responsible Parties with site investigation and clean up of any "hazardous substance' releases in Wisconsin. This would include releases of phthalates that contaminate soil or groundwater. RR program guidance on investigations and clean ups can be found at the RR program Web site.

Waste Management

  • In some cases it may be necessary to manage phthalate contaminated material as solid waste or hazardous waste. There is also Waste Management program guidance available.

Surface Water and Watershed Management

  • Wisconsin has water quality standards for some phthalates (NR 105 [exit DNR] Wisc. Adm. Code)

National, International and Other Initiatives

IRIS Toxicological Review and Summary Documents for Phthalates, US EPA, Environmental Center for Assessment [all links exit DNR]:

Last Revised: Friday June 13 2008