Phthalates are very widely used

Phthalates are used in millions of products, including toys, clothing, cleaning and personal care products, packaging, medical devices, household appliances, electronics, food and beverage containers.

And we’re not talking about a few milligrams. In some plastic products, the concentration of phthalates may be as high as 40 %.

Human exposure to phthalates

We’re exposed to phthalates through the many everyday products it is used in. Phthalates can get into our bodies by direct contact or indirectly through leaching into other products. Food is a major indirect source of exposure to phthalates as the chemicals get into food through food containers and packaging.

In a study of human exposure to phthalates, 100(!) % of the people tested had phthalates in their bodies. According to the researchers at surprisingly high levels.

Phthalates health effects

Hormone disrupting

Phthalates interfere with the production of testosterone. Testosterone is an essential hormone especially for male development. People exposed to high levels of phthalates have been found to have reduced levels of testosterone compared to people with lower exposure. Baby boys exposed to phthalates in their mother's breast milk have below average levels of testosterone.

In addition to interfering with the production of testosterone, some phthalates also block the effects of testosterone.

Over the last 50 years, studies have shown a general decline in male testosterone levels coupled with a decline in semen quality as well as more instances of genital malformations in newborn boys. Increased chemical exposure is believed to be at least part of the explanation.

Affects reproductive systems

Phthalates have been linked to reduced fertility, abnormal sperm counts, testicular damage, and increased risk of miscarriage and birth defects.

Phthalates have been linked to abnormal development of the reproductive system in baby boys. The genitals of boys born by mothers with high levels of phthalates in their bodies developed differently. This is obviously extremely alarming.

Phthalates linked to cancer

Research has identified a potential link between phthalates and certain types of cancer including breast cancer and testicular cancer.

Phthalates reach all ecosystems

Phthalates leave traces everywhere - even in places where you would not expect it. Scientists have found phthalates in a species of deep sea jellyfish that lives 1,000 meters below the surface of the North Atlantic.

Consider this:

Unborn chicken die when they are exposed to a 0.4 percent concentration of one of the most common phthalates. This level of phthalate concentration can be reached in human blood - simply by storing the blood in vinyl bags for a day or two.

There are alternatives to phthalates

Soybean oil, for example, can be a better plastic softener than phthalates. In the United States, vegetable oil softeners represent about 15 percent of the market for phthalates. Do what you can to avoid products that use phthalates.

Nonetheless, global production continues to increase

Even though there are alternatives, the global market for plasticizers (a known endocrine disrupter) is expected to grow 5.5 % annually and reach $24 billion by 2024 with a production of 12 million tons. With an unchanged market share of 70 % that means a global production of 8.4 million tons of phthalates or a 50 % increase between 2017 and 2024.