Phthalates. That’s a fun word to spell, not so much fun to be exposed to. Unfortunately we’ve all been exposed to phthalates; they’re dubbed the “everywhere chemicals” because they are quite frankly everywhere.
Let’s start at the beginning. Phthalates have been widely used since the 1950s. They are esters of phthalic acid.
What’s an ester?
Think back to chemistry class: it’s a carboxylic acid where the hydrogen is replaced by a hydrocarbon group. That’s as technical as I’ll get, I promise.
They’re really good at being plasticizers which are substances added to plastics to increase flexibility and durability. The cosmetics industry also uses phthalates in things like nail polish to reduce cracking and as a solvent in fragrances. Here’s just a handful of things phthalates have been used in:
– plastic toys
– shower curtains
– wallpaper
– vinyl flooring
– food packaging
– medical instruments
– water bottles (you heard about BPA, that’s a phthalate).
Wait, it sounds like it’s used everywhere, surely it’s safe, right?
Well, yes and no…more accurately, we don’t 100% know the effects of phthalates on human beings.
Research on phthalates is fairly new, with most studies being done in the past twenty years and most conclusions drawn from research on laboratory animals. From these studies phthalates have proven to be carcinogenic, fatal, cause developmental and reproductive problems. The degree of severity depends on the animal, toxicity levels, age at exposure, and route of exposure.
Phthalates can enter our bodies through inhalation (breathing in phthalate laden dust), ingestion (eating food or drinking water contaminated with phthalates), touch (using cosmetics and skin care products made with phthalates).
We also know “Phthalates have short biological half-lives, metabolise quickly, do not accumulate, and are primarily excreted in the urine. Therefore, the urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites provide an excellent biomarker of exposure”(1). However, urine samples give a very short snapshot of exposure and it’s up to the human to fill out a questionnaire to determine his or her exposure to phthalates.
Finally, there are many different types of phthalates, some more dangerous than others. Researchers have realized to effectively conclude which phthalate does what kind of damage, they will have to test for each specific type of phthalate. That kind of research requires quite a bit of time.
However, emerging studies from several government agencies reveal some phthalates may affect human reproduction and development. One particular phthalate, Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), is an endocrine disruptor and may cause cancer.
Also remember the big push to go BPA-free? Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a phthalate. (Side note, if you think you’re safe with a BPA-free bottle, keep reading).
It comes down to this: are emerging studies enough to wholly ban an ingredient? If there’s a chance something is harmful, wouldn’t you want to minimize your exposure to it?
Lots of people agree:
– US Consumer Product Safety Commission voted in October 2017 to ban five types of phthalates from children’s toys and care products.
– A unanimous vote in the European Union in July 2017 vote prohibited 4 phthalates from consumer products and indoor areas: butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) (See NOTE) (2).
– California’s Proposition 65 (aka Prop 65) requires businesses label their product if they include harmful chemicals. Currently six pthalates are listed as harmful chemicals.
– Larger retail stores like Walmart and Target put forth they own screening process for cleaner products with less harmful chemicals.
What does the FDA say?
It’s not that clearcut. The latest statement regarding phthalates from the FDA says,”it’s not clear what effect, if any, phthalates have on human health,”(3). Therefore the government agency won’t restrict phthalates in cosmetics until research absolutely proves phthalates are harmful to humans, and even then, I say “restrict,” because it’s likely they’ll allow a trace amount of phthalates in products thanks to lobbyists for big chemical companies who have something to lose in a complete ban of any chemical.
That’s crazy.
I know.
How do I not die from phthalates?
You can minimize your exposure. Here’s a starting point:
– avoid products packaged in “Recycling code-3” and “Recycling code-7” Remember when you went BPA-free? Well you may not be completely in the clear. Researchers found plastics in the code-7 family behave similarly to BPA, meaning phthalates seep out over time. On that note…
– If you brought food home in a plastic container, move it into a glass or stainless steel container as soon as possible.
– Avoid products that have the vague “fragrance” listing on their ingredients, per the “fragrance loophole” one of those ingredients could be a phthalate, or other harmful chemical.
– Purchase organic products packaged in glass as much as possible
– If you just laid new vinyl flooring or hung mini-blinds that aren’t advertised as phthalate-free, air out your home for 24 hours, then dust vigilantly for a few weeks.
– Look for safer cosmetics that list all their ingredients or at the very least say “Pthalate-free.” Beautycounter has plenty of safe skin care and make-up options that don’t use pthalates or other harmful ingredients.
With the many uses of phthalates it’ll be difficult to completely avoid exposure, but by being a conscientious consumer you can limit your exposure and let your dollars do much needed voting to help pass more regulations. Let’s get to the point where we don’t have to read labels and articles about deciphering harmful chemicals from safe chemicals. Let’s get to the point where we can just trust all the ingredients in a product are safe for us. Start small, start with one product you use everyday and trade it for a phthalate-free version.
NOTE: The EU prohibits the aforementioned phthalates at concentrations equal to or above 0.1% by weight individually or in any combination.
CITED
1. https://oem.bmj.com/content/62/11/806
2. https://cen.acs.org/policy/chemical-regulation/EU-members-agree-restrict-4/96/i30
3. https://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Ingredients/ucm128250.htm
ADDIITONAL REFERENCES
https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/ohat/phthalates/dnhp/dnhp_monograph_final.pdf
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/111/6/1467.short
https://edition.cnn.com/2017/10/20/health/phthalates-banned-in-childrens-toys/index.html
https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/chemicals-and-contaminants/phthalates
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/10/phthalates-plastics-chemicals-research-analysis