What are phthalates?

As you start your day, phthalates are already part of your  morning rituals. The  first dose happens the moment you pull back your plastic shower curtain, which may contain these chemicals. The scents in your deodorant and body lotion further expose you to these potentially endocrine-disrupting substances.

Phthalates lurk in seemingly harmless items like your plastic key ring and air freshener. The chemicals have an uncanny ability to show up in unexpected places, making their presence in plastic, vinyl, personal care products, children's toys. They  are sometimes present in undisclosed “fragrance” in cosmetics and other items.

These chemicals have  been around since the 1930s and are now widely used. More than three in four adults have detectable levels of them in their urine.

Health harms

Some phthalates are endocrine disruptors, a class of potent chemicals that interfere with our hormone systems. 

The endocrine system is a network of hormones, hormone-producing glands and hormone receptors. It’s critical to many of the core functions of the body, including growth and development, metabolism, reproduction, sleep, stress and immune response.

Phthalates can disrupt the hormone system by increasing the production of some hormones, decreasing the production of others and interfering with hormone signaling, which can cause health problems.

Some of the health harms associated with phthalates are changes to fertility, early puberty and risk of low birth weight, obesity, diabetes, impacts to the immune system, cardiovascular and respiratory problems, some cancers and neurological and behavioral problems. 

Children, infants and the growing fetus are especially vulnerable, since they’re still developing. 

New safety concerns

A study from 2021 showed a potential link between childhood exposure to phthalates and an increased risk of bone cancer. The study found a positive association between exposure to some phthalates during childhood and osteosarcoma, a rare type of bone cancer with a 20 to 40 percent fatality rate if it has not spread. 

Phthalate exposure has also recently been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer and infertility outcomes in women.

Prenatal exposure to these chemicals can also lead to learning, attention and behavioral disorders in children, according to a 2021 study in the American Journal of Public Health.

Minimizing your exposure

Most of us are exposed daily to multiple products containing phthalates, so completely eliminating them from your everyday routine is impossible.

Phthalates are used as plasticizers for a wide range of consumer and industrial uses, including cosmetics, personal care products like menstrual pads and diapers, building materials like vinyl flooring and adhesives, food packaging, and they can even contaminate food itself.

Despite the widespread use of these chemicals, there are still some ways to reduce your overall daily exposure to them. Choose the following products carefully or limit your use of them:

1. Nail polish. Dibutyl phthalate is a chemical often added to nail polish to make it chip-resistant. Look for this ingredient on the label of the polish. Its name may be shortened to DBP.
2. Undisclosed fragrance. Diethyl phthalate is sometimes used as part of the “fragrance” in some products. It won’t be listed separately, so you’re better off choosing personal care products and cleaners that don’t just list fragrance but instead disclose their fragrance ingredients .
3. Kitchen plastics. Phthalates may be found in many plastic items in your kitchen like food storage containers. They’re more likely to leach out of plastic when it’s heated, so avoid microwaving or storing food in plastic containers, whenever possible.
4. Vinyl toys. Some phthalates are used to make PVC (vinyl) toys soft. Avoid giving these to your children and instead opt for toys made of wood and other materials. 
5. Paint. Craft paints may contain phthalates as solvents. Be sure to use these products in well-ventilated areas or ask the manufacturer if the paint contains phthalates.
6. Vinyl. Vinyl isn’t only found in children’s toys. It’s used in many consumer products, including lawn furniture, garden hoses, building materials like flooring, shower curtains, and items of clothing. In addition to carefully choosing products that don’t use vinyl, one easy change you can make is switching to a non-vinyl shower curtain. 
7. Air fresheners. Just like fragrance in your personal care products, most air fresheners contain phthalates. Avoiding these products removes an exposure source.

You can also consult EWG’s Skin Deep® cosmetics database and Guide to Healthy Cleaning to find personal care and cleaning products free from phthalates and undisclosed fragrance ingredients.