On December 31, 2025, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its intention to regulate uses of five phthalates. For each substance, the agency also published their final risk evaluation under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA):
- butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP; CAS 85-68-7)
- dibutyl phthalate (DBP; CAS 84-74-2)
- dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP, CAS 84-61-7)
- diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP; CAS 117-81-7)
- diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP; CAS 84-69-5)
These phthalates are commonly used in plastic food contact materials as plasticizers to make the material more flexible, as well as in adhesives and coatings. All of them have been measured in or found to migrate from food contact materials according to the Food Packaging Forum’s Database on Migrating and Extractable Food Contact Chemicals (FCCmigex).
The agency communicates that it is especially concerned about environmental and workplace risks but acknowledges in the risk evaluations that consumers may also be exposed from the use of phthalate-containing products. Women of reproductive age, pregnant women, infants, children, and adolescents are especially susceptible groups among the general population.
Key findings of the risk evaluations includes “unreasonable risks […] for workers in specific industrial applications, primarily from inhalation during spray applications and manufacturing processes”, “risks to the environment […] for four of the five chemicals, specifically threats to fish and other aquatic life”, and “the potential to cause human health abnormalities that EPA is seriously concerned with, including hormone deficiencies and endocrine disruption.”
Many phthalates have been associated with several adverse human health outcomes (FPF reported and here), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) classified the whole group as chemicals of concern (FPF reported). The EU recognizes some phthalates as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) due to their endocrine disrupting properties for humans (FPF reported).
Together with workers, businesses, labor groups, and communities, the EPA is now planning to develop “targeted, practical protections that ensure worker safety and environmental protection.”
References
Environmental Protection Agency (December 31, 2025) “EPA Announces Intent to Regulate Dozens of Uses of Five Phthalate Chemicals to Protect Workers and Environment.”
Environmental Protection Agency (December 31, 2025) “EPA phthalates risk evaluations.”
Environmental Protection Agency (December 31, 2025) “Nontechnical Summary of the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP).”
Environmental Protection Agency (December 31, 2025) “Nontechnical Summary of the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).”
Environmental Protection Agency (December 31, 2025) “Nontechnical Summary of the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Dicyclohexyl Phthalate (DCHP).”
Environmental Protection Agency (December 31, 2025) “Nontechnical Summary of the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP).”
Environmental Protection Agency (December 31, 2025) “Nontechnical Summary of the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP).”
