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WASHINGTON - Phthalates, often dubbed "everywhere chemicals," are pervasive in everyday products, from vinyl flooring to personal care items. these chemicals, added to plastics for versatility and to bind scents, can leach out and possibly harm your health, according to experts.What are Phthalates?
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Phthalates are a family of chemicals widely used since the 1930s.They are found in various consumer products, including shampoo, lotion, food containers, plastics, pizza boxes, carpets, and perfumes, explains MAUA CHOUDHURY, Ph.D., associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Texas A&M university. People are exposed through ingestion, skin absorption, or inhalation of dust containing these chemicals.
STEPHANIE ENGEL, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and deputy director of the Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, notes that diet is a major source of human exposure in the U.S., notably from highly processed and fast foods due to their use in food packaging.
Health Risks of phthalates
Research indicates that phthalates can negatively impact health in several ways. A recent report in Lancet eBioMedicine linked daily phthalate exposure to over 356,000 global heart disease deaths in 2018 alone. LEONARDO TRASANDE, M.D.,a pediatrics professor and director of the New York University Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards,suggests plastics are a major risk factor alongside diet,physical activity,and smoking.
Previous research has also associated phthalate exposure with inflammation, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as diabetes and obesity, according to CHOUDHURY.
These chemicals can also affect testosterone levels and male reproductive system growth, increase the risk of preterm births, and impair childhood development, ENGEL notes. A 2021 study she led in the American Journal of Public health indicated that phthalates could elevate children's risk for learning, attention, and behavioral disorders.
The exact mechanisms of harm are not fully understood, but phthalates are believed to disrupt hormonal systems, including sex and thyroid hormones, and are linked to inflammation and oxidative stress.
Minimizing Exposure to Phthalates
Reducing phthalate exposure can be challenging due to their widespread presence. Scent formulations are frequently enough proprietary, making it tough to identify phthalate-containing ingredients in fragrances, ENGEL explains.
The natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) advises looking for specific acronyms on products that indicate the presence of phthalates:
BBP (Butyl benzyl phthalate)
DBP (Dibutyl phthalate), often in nail polish
DEHP (Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), often in medical products
DEP (Diethyl phthalate), often in personal care products
DiDP (Di-isodecyl phthalate)
DiNP (Di-isonoyl phthalate), often used in toys and childcare products
DnHP (di-n-hexyl phthalate)
DnOP (di-n-octyl phthalate)
Additionally, the number 3 and the letters V or PVC under the recycling symbol may indicate phthalate content.
Other strategies to minimize exposure include:
Choosing unscented products
Avoiding ultraprocessed or packaged foods
Avoiding heating or storing food in plastic containers
Limiting plastic use in general
* Researching product ingredients lists
Many personal care products now advertise being phthalate-free, and some flooring and housing material companies have removed phthalates from their products, CHOUDHURY says. However, ENGEL cautions that there is no systematic verification of these claims.
Understanding Phthalates: An Explainer
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and to help scents bind to products.They are found in numerous everyday items, such as food packaging, personal care products, and medical devices. Exposure to phthalates can occur through diet, skin contact, and inhalation.
