see also:

• endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
• foods that may be toxic or bad for you
• bisphenols (Bisphenol A (BPA), etc)
• Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including PFOA, PFOS, GenX, Teflon

• 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

• 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

• 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

• 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
• increased infertility
  • babies with high total antenatal exposure to phthalates were 90x more likely to have a short anogenital distance (AGD)
    • a short anogenital distance (<52mm) is associated with 7x risk of subfertility ²⁾
• endocrine disruption
  • see endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
• possible exacerbation of asthma