phthalates are a group of commonly used chemicals which have been found to potentially have adverse effects on humans and presumably other animals
these substances can break down into microscopic particles and enter the body through food, air, and dust
they are used plasticizers which make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flexible
many flexible PVC items use phthalate plasticisers that can leach, migrate, or evaporate over time, especially from soft vinyl products and indoor dust
areas that have rapidly growing plastics industries and high levels of global plastic waste are a particular high exposure risk - eg. Middle East and South Asia
Examples
di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP)
found in cosmetics, detergents, bug repellents, and other household products
exposure has been linked to cancer, heart disease, infertility and preterm births
diisononyl phthalate (DiNP)
a common replacement for DEHP but may pose a similar risk as DEHP for preterm births
Risk reduction
these are commonly used in plastic containers, especially squeezy plastic bottles
avoid putting food in these containers into a microwave especially fatty foods which tend to absorb chemicals
avoid personal care products (PCPs) containing these
avoid living near industrial areas which utilize these in the manufacture process
prefer PVC-free products when you can (TPU is better in this regard and better environmentally although poor manufacturing could leave active isocyanates that irritate skin, eyes, or lungs)
common exposure sources include soft PVC/vinyl items such as flooring, wall coverings, shower curtains, tablecloths, upholstery, hoses, wires, and some medical devices
Potential adverse effects
the strongest concerns are for pregnant people, infants, children, and workers with repeated exposure
increased risk of preterm births
a 2018 study published in 20261) suggests that DEHP and DiNP caused almost 9% of global pre-term births