Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a high production volume chemical used in the manufacture of a wide variety of consumer food packaging, some children’s products, and some polyvinyl chloride (PVC) medical devices. In 2006, the NTP found that DEHP may pose a risk to human development, especially critically ill male infants. Phthalates may play a causal role in disrupting masculine neurological development when exposed prenatally.
Although several of the specific Tier 1 tests under EPA’s Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program may not have been conducted on the five identified phthalates, a considerable amount of information already exists on these substances from traditional toxicity tests. These traditional tests assess potential health effects resulting from all mechanisms, including endocrine (hormone) pathways.