Quick Answers About Phthalate Esters

American Chemistry Council
Phthalate Esters Panel

• Phthalates Are...
• The Safety of Phthalates
• Where Phthalates Can Be Found
• There's Not a Risk From Using Products Containing Phthalates
• Parents Shouldn't Worry
• Phthalates Don't Cause Cancer in People
• Some European CountriesAre Taking Actions Based on Politics, Not Science
• Governments Are Evaluating the Issue of Phthalates in Toys

Phthalates Are...

Phthalate esters are liquid plasticizers which are added to a hard plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl). The liquid phthalates act as a softener causing the plastic to become flexible. For example, hard PVC with no plasticizer could be a pipe under a sink or the vinyl siding of a house. When plasticizers are added, a wide range of products can be created such as toys, wire and cable, flooring and shower curtains. Vinyl is actually the second most popular plastic in the world as a result of its durability, low cost and versatility.

For 25 years, phthalates have been researched and tested so they can be used safely. Based on the best evidence to date, the Phthalate Esters Panel strongly believes phthalates are safe and pose no hazard for children or adults when properly used in vinyl products. The Panel is committed to continued research and testing of phthalate esters and will work closely with government agencies so that these products can continue to be used safely.

Most soft and flexible vinyl products will contain phthalate esters as a plasticizer. Many products in the home are made of flexible vinyl. The most common uses, however, are products like flooring, insulation on the wiring and cable that runs through your house or your car, shower curtains, synthetic leathers, e.g. automotive upholstery, and toys.

People come into contact with phthalate esters by using flexible vinyl products, such as sitting in a naugahyde^¨ chair, playing with a vinyl beachball or fishing with a favorite vinyl fishing lure. However, everyday use of these products does not mean that humans are absorbing the compounds. More importantly, exposure to phthalate esters does not mean there is a risk from them. Although consumers come into contact with vinyl products and may absorb trace amounts of phthalate esters into their system, scientific evidence has not shown a threat to human health.

For 25 years phthalates have been researched and tested so they can be used safely. Based on the best evidence to date, the Panel strongly believes phthalates are safe and do not pose a health hazard to children or adults when properly used in toys or other vinyl products. In fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), when asked if parents should try to keep infants and children from playing with or chewing on plastic objects, responded by saying, "At present, EPA does not believe the scientific evidence supports this recommendation..." The Panel is committed to continued research and testing of phthalate esters and will work closely with government agencies so that these products can continue to be used safely.

Phthalates Don't Cause Cancer In People

There is not any validated scientific evidence to indicate that phthalate esters pose health problems for humans. Scientific research shows that rodents are uniquely sensitive to phthalate esters. As a result, some phthalates have shown the potential to induce liver or kidney tumors when fed to laboratory animals at extremely high doses for extended periods of time. These effects, however, are not seen in other mammals more closely related to humans (i.e., hamsters and monkeys). In short, extremely high quantities of phthalate esters may pose health problems for rodents, but there is no evidence indicating the compounds pose a health risk for humans at "real world" exposure levels.

In March 1998 the European Commission raised the issue of exposures to phthalates from certain children's products for discussion with European Member States, but based on scientific evidence, the majority found no reason to take regulatory action.

In the meantime, this highly political and emotional issue has led some countries to make announcements that they intend to impose bans as a precaution. Some countries have notified the Commission of their intent, but no such bans have yet been put in place and the Commission has not given them clearance to do so. The European Commission is now working on an amendment to the existing "Marketing and Use Directive" which would require toy manufacturers to test PVC toys to ensure that safe migration limits are always met. The Phthalate Esters Panel welcomes a standard for toys that is based on sound science. Countries that are currently banning phthalates are not acting in accordance with the scientific evidence.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, as well as regulatory agencies in Canada and Europe, are reviewing the use of phthalates in toys. The Panel expects these agencies are relying on science to evaluate the safety of toys. The Panel has been working closely with the agencies to provide them with to the extensive database of research associated with phthalates. If the science shows certain products may pose a hazard, the Panel supports steps to eliminate the hazard. To this end, the Panel supports regulatory decisions based on sound science. Based on the best evidence to date, however, the Panel strongly believes phthalates are safe and do not pose a health hazard to children or adults when properly used in toys or other vinyl products.