Phthalates: What they are, why they are harmful & how to avoid them

March 1, 2021 Aida Garcia-Toledo

Last week a new peer review article was published by a group of respected and leading scientists and health professionals that came to one conclusion: an URGENT need for a ban of ALL phthalate chemicals based on the overwhelming amount of evidence linking phthalate exposure - even low levels- to harmful effects on the developing brain, including an increase risks for learning, attention, and behavioral disorders.

Prenatal exposures to phthalates, in particular, were singled out as a concern since phthalates readily transfer from the mother to the fetus.

What are phthalates?

Chemicals that are used to:

1. Help a fragrance bind to a product

2. Help brittle pvc become more flexible and malleable

3. Give plastic flexibility

Why are phthalates bad?

While the call to ban phthalates is based on their neurological effects, phthalates dont only affect the developing brain.

Phthalates are endocrine disruptors ( they mimic our hormones leading to imbalances in our hormone levels). Their potential harmful effects on reproductive development is well established. They lower testosterone, sperm count and their linked to childhood obesity, asthma, neurological problems, cardiovascular issues and even cancer.

How do we avoid phthalates?

Part of the problem is that phthalates are SO pervasive in every day life: we are exposed to mixtures of these chemicals from multiple sources simultaneously. This is why a federal ban on all phthalates is necessary.

We cant avoid them all- so our focus should be to reduce our overall exposure- especially during pregnancy and early childhood

Here is the good news:

Phthalates are NOT persistent- meaning they dont remain in our bodies for long . Their half life is 4 hours which means that if you were to stop exposing yourself to all phthalates they would leave your body relatively quickly
More good news? They are not that hard to avoid. You just need to know how to spot them

FOOD

Food is our main source of exposure to phthalates. Lets dig in:

FDA permits the use of phthalates in food contact materials
USDA Organic label does not require processing of organics to be phthalate-free.
While 8 phthalates are regulated in children’s toys & products in the US, none are regulated in food
Study:People who ate out at least 1x day before had 35% higher phthalate levels than those who had not.
Study: frequent fast-food consuming adolescents had phthalate levels 55 % higher than their home-eating counterparts
Fatty foods tend to have higher levels of phthalates. Phthalates have been found in dairy products, meats, fish, oils & fats, baked goods, infant formula, processed foods & fast foods.

How do phthalates make their way into our food and drinks?

2 ways: processing/preparation equipment & packaging

Processing/prep equipment:

thought to be the major source of phthalates that enter the food supply.
Tests of food processing equipment by the FDA found phthalates in 100% of conveyor belt samples and in 80% plastic tubing samples. This affects both organic and non organic processed foods.

Packaging (to a lesser extent):

even ‘stable’ hard plastics used in milk cartons(PE) & yogurt cups (PS plastic) have been shown to leach phthalates
One study found DIBP & DBP phthalates migrating from some polyethylene plastic wrap film

What can you do to avoid phthalates in food?

Certified organic foods are still preferred because they assure you are eating foods with significantly less pesticides (which can also expose you the phthAlates). However, to avoid unnecessary phthalate exposure in organic food:

Choose fresh food. Fresh organic fruits, vegetables etc. Eat less boxed, processed foods & snacks.
Cook & eat at home with whole ingredients.
Pack your kids school lunches ( & your work lunches) when possible instead of eating in cafeterias
Fatty foods like cheese, dairy, meats etc tend to absorb and contain more phthalates than lean ones.
Choose food that comes without packaging or comes in glass packaging
Reduce your consumption of cow milk. PVC tubing used to package cow milk is a large source of phthlates.
Avoid yogurt packaged in polystyrene containers ( #6 in recycling triangle)
People who eat diets rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds have lower levels of phthalates in their blood than do people who eat more animal foods (dairy and meat). Commit to eating vegetarian at least #8meals a week
Support companies like General Mills the first large company to publicly commit to begin to clean up its supply chain by requiring suppliers to eliminate phthalates in food processing equipment. ( note they have not done so yet and so their food could still contain phthalates). Public pressure helps- ask Kraft and Nestlé to commit to the same
Decrease fast-food, delivery and take-out—packaging and food prep items like gloves and packaging makes these activities correlated with higher body levels of phthalates.

Food might be our main source of phthalate exposure, but they are so ubicuos that we are exposed to these chemicals throughout the day through many other sources

Even if we are not ingesting Phthalates in food we can still be exposed to phthalates: they are not chemically bound to the plastic and can escape from the product they are used on, which can eventually make their way into our bodies.

To not get overwhelmed, the focus should be on reducing, not eliminating, phthalate exposure. Featured in this post are 4 easy switches you can do in 4 different parts of your home.

2. kids items

School supplies:

80% of children’s school supplies tested contained phthalates, and 75% of all children’s
school supplies tested contained levels of phthalates so high they would not be allowed in toys.”
While phthalates are banned in toys, they’re allowed in children’s school supplies such as backpacks and lunch boxes.
plastic and non-plastic (erasers!) schools supplies have been found to contain phthalates.
Read my post on non-toxic school supplies for my specific recommendations on plastic free school supplies

Placemats: avoid plastic and laminated ones and instead choose silicone or fabric.
Dolls:

almost all hard dolls contain phthalates.
Only fabric dolls and one company that makes natural latex dolls are phthalate free.
Some PVC free dolls include:
Eco Baby Dolls : Only hard dolls not made of PVC- these are made of 100% natural rubber
Meri Meri Gracie Doll : made of 80% Organic Cotton
Alimrose: Linen cotton body with all new poly fiber fill
Apple park: organic cotton
Read my post on finding a PVC free doll for more recommendations for phthalate free dolls

Scented toys and art supplies:

fruity smelling markers, crayons, squishier, erasers and other toys often require phthalates to bind fragrance chemicals to them.
Always choose ‘normal’ scent free versions!

3. Around the house

conventional cleaning supplies

all have phthalates, required for their fragrances.
Even cleaners labelled as ‘unscented’ might have fragrance chemicals.
Read the ingredient list, avoiding ‘fragrance’ ‘parfum’ or ‘perfume’
choose non-toxic cleaners with simple ingredients
My approved ones can be found here
2. Dust

100% of household dust tested has been shown to contain phthalates. These migrate mostly from home construction items and into the dust.
Dust often with a vacuum that contains a HEPA filter (read my post on how to choose the best vacuum) , a damp cloth and use an air filter at home.
3. Home fragrance

sprays, plug ins, scented candles often contain phthalates, used to bind the fragrance chemicals to the products.
Stop using these at home and instead consider non-toxic candles that use organic essential oils, opening windows, or leaving a bowl with baking soda out which can absorb bad smells too
Grow Fragrances are non-toxic room sprays
4. Flooring:

homes that have vinyl flooring have much higher levels of phthalates.
Better alternatives include: solid wood, bamboo, marmoleum and tile

4. Bathroom

plastic bath mats are typically made of PVC and contain phthalates. The safest alternative I know off are Hevea natural latex bath mats which are made from natural tree rubber
Bath Toys

those made of soft squishy plastic like the traditional rubber ducky are made with phthalates.
CPSC regulates 8 phthalates in products made for children under the age of 12 however some toys can still contain other phthalates not regulated by the CPSC or lower levels of those that are regulated.
Natural latex toys and silicone toys are great & safe alternatives
3. personal care items

Women have higher exposure than men to phthalates from personal care products, and Black and Latina women have higher exposure to phthalates than White women, independent of income level.
Children’s personal care products can also contain phthalates.
Luckily great options exist today for phthalate free personal care alternatives.
Focus on avoiding products that contain synthetic fragrance . This includes: shampoos, baby shampoos, baby and adult body washes, conditioners, hand creams, deodorants, hairspray, nail polish, lipsticks, etc
Some of my favorite non-toxic brands for kids can be found in my Amazon Shop
4. pads
Phthalate (DBP, DEHP, DEP, and BBP) concentrations were measured in 11 of 11 brands of sanitary pads tested in a recent study -
choose organic cotton pads like those made by Rael and Organyc
5. shower curtains:

traditional plastic shower curtains are made of Pvc.
Better alternatives are hemp, cotton and even EVA is better than PVC

5. OUTDOORS

Rain gear

shiny plastic ranger, raincoats, boots and umbrellas, are often made with PVC, which requires phthalates.
better alternatives include rain gear made with a polyurethane layer, nylon or polyester (which are water resistant) or natural latex rain boots.
careful to avoid gear treated with PFAS chemicals for waterproofing.
Some of my top non-toxic rain gear for kids can be found in my Amazon Shop

2. water toys

floats, blow up balls and most water and pool toys are made of PVC that requires phthalates.
these items are often left out in the sun which can accelerate leaching of phthalates out of the item
pool noodles are a much safer material

3. garden hoses

most garden hoses are made with PVC, which requires phthalates
garden hoses are also a likely exposure source to lead and some heavy metals
never let your child drink from your garden hose and make sure they wash their hands after using a hose

4. gym & sports equipment

kettlebells, weights, & balls used in exercise and sports are often wrapped in a PVC layer that contains phthalates.
yoga mats and yoga balls are sometimes sources of pvc too. Safe alternatives include silicone exercise balls . For yoga mats read my recent post on choose a non-toxic yoga mat with my top choices

sources

https://publichealth.gwu.edu/content/dining-out-associated-increased-exposure-harmful-chemicals-called-phthalates

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29605141/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31398592/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32735599/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24041567/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32506566/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20737341/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7694080/table/foods-09-01554-t002/?report=objectonly

https://pprc.org/2013/p2-rapid/do-plastic-chemicals-leach-into-food-from-sous-vide-sv-cooking/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281287/#:~:text=The%20most%20frequently%20identified%20phthalate,of%200.77%20mg%2Fg%20dust.

https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/pdfs/ReportonPhthalatesinFourPlastics.pdf