What Are Phthalates?

Phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are organic chemicals produced from oil and are the most commonly used plasticisers in the world. They are a family of chemical substances that have been in use for about 50 years, primarily to make polyvinyl chloride (PVC) soft and flexible. Although the various kinds in use today have some structural similarity, each one is different in the way it performs.

Phthalates look like clear vegetable oil and have little or no smell. We are all familiar with the products that are produced using plasticisers but we often take for granted the benefits they bring ... flexibility, durability, longevity, and low cost.

Phthalates are not used alone as they are always incorporated into an end product such as something that is made of PVC. This can include everything from PVC flooring and cable sheathing to life-saving medical devices. When phthalates are added into the vinyl manufacturing process they act as a softener and a lubricant.

Thanks to plasticisers the range of applications in which PVC is used have been greatly extended. They have been part of the revolution to provide low cost, high performance materials that make our everyday lives much easier.

Not all phthalates are used as plasticisers for PVC. Different phthalates keep nail polish from chipping, make perfume linger longer, or make tool handles strong and more resistant to breaking. Others help adhesives, sealants, paint pigments and many other materials perform their jobs better.

Because phthalates are so widely used, they have undergone extensive testing for possible health and environmental effects and are among the most widely researched of all chemical substances. Research findings and current assessments of the health and environmental effects of phthalates clearly show that they do not pose a risk to human health or the environment.

Phthalates do not persist in the environment; they biodegrade readily. They do not accumulate in animals or humans; inside the body, they break down quickly and are excreted. Most important, in their long history of beneficial use, there is not one known case of them ever having caused anyone any harm. To the contrary, they have contributed not only to our increased well-being in everyday life but they are also important and often unique components of many of today’s life saving medical devices.