Phthalates
are plasticisers
that are added to other materials to
make them softer and more flexible.
They are widely used in a range of
polymers
such as PVC
that are found in a wide variety of
consumer products including floor- and
wall covering, furnishing, toys, car
interior, clothing, hoses etc. Phthalates
are also added to paints and lacquers,
adhesives and sealants, printing inks
etc.
Because phthalates are not chemically
bound to the material they are added
to, they can be released from the products
that contain them, for instance into
water and air. The emission of phthalates
occurs during all the stages of the
life cycle of a product from production,
through use, to disposal. There is public
concern about phthalates because of
their widespread use and occurrence
in the environment as well as their
potential effects on human health.
A range of different phthalates exist,
which each have specific properties,
applications, and potential health effects.
Table:
Some examples of phthalates and their
applications
Five of the most widely used phthalates
are di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP),
dibutyl phthalate (DBP),
di-isononyl phthalate (DINP),
di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP)
and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP).
These phthalates are currently being
assessed within an EU program on
Risk Assessment for new and existing
chemical substances.
So far, the final reports on DBP,
DIDP
and DINP
have been published. The content of
these reports is presented in this summary.
Because of the strong similarities between
DIDP
and DINP,
they will be described together for
the rest of the present study.
In Europe, between 1990 and 1995,
the average annual consumption of plasticisers
was 970 000 tonnes,
of which 894 000 tonnes were phthalates.
For comparison, the worldwide plasticiser
consumption is estimated at 3.5 million
tonnes.
Figure: Approximation
of the relative importance of the consumption
of four of the main phthalates in the
European Union in the 1990s
