Phthalates: Are They Safe?

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Jessica Marie Little

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

This past Sunday, CBS 60 Minutes did an in-depth look into phthalates and human safety. I grew up watching 60 Minutes, and I regard Andy Rooney as the grandfather I never had. Today I still value their reports for their length, research, and accuracy.

Their report on Phthalates is a prime example of their journalistic standards. It is an unbiased look into a family of chemicals found in soft plastics and personal care products we use everyday. Phthalates are so ubiquitous that traces of them can be found in everyone, and even higher levels are found in women.

Where did public concern regarding phthalates start? According to 60 Minutes, Dr. Richard Sharpe in Edinburgh Scotland, one of the leading phthalate researchers in the world, exposed pregnant rats to phthalates. The exposed female rats produced a string of abnormalities in their male offspring.

Most strikingly, in another study, these same abnormalities were found in male babies whose mother’s had high phthalate levels.

After learning of this connection, avoiding phthalates seems like a no-brainer. However, Dr. Sharpe then tried the same experiment on monkeys, animals that are much closer to humans. Their offspring were completely normal. Quite the mystery.

The report ends with,"So here's where we stand: a rat study on one hand, contradicted by a monkey study on the other. Then there's a string of new human studies that link phthalates to problems with masculinity, but each one of them is described as 'small and preliminary.'"

So, are phthalates safe?

No one, not even the top researches can say for certain that phthalates cause direct harm to humans. A causal relationship has not been proven. There are only disconcerting associations.

So why does Healthy Child recommend that parents avoid phthalates?

Because no one can say they are safe either – and it’s better to be safe than sorry. Especially where our children are concerned.

The fact is—there is not enough research yet to make concrete connections between most of the chemicals we are exposed to everyday and health impacts. Toxicology is extremely complicated – especially when you factor in complexities like genetic susceptibility and cumulative impacts. Still, there are many red flags and gaps in knowledge. Rather then wait around for researchers to receive funding and conduct all the research necessary to connect the dots, I will be working to make my home phthalate-free. What do you think? Safe until proven guilty or guilty until proven safe? How do we define “safety” when even water can be fatal if too much is consumed?

Did you know phthalates often hide in the fragrance of common personal care products? Learn more at our Twitter Party on Thursday night.