On June 4, 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation drafts and related technical support documents for dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) for public comment and peer review by the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC).
DBP Risk Evaluation Findings
The EPA has preliminarily determined that DBP may pose risks to worker health based on 20 Conditions of Use (COUs), to consumer health based on 4 COUs, and an unreasonable risk to the environment based on 1 COU. For the other 19 COUs of DBP, no risks to human health or the environment were found. For the COUs where worker health risks were identified, these initial risk determinations did not take into account the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). However, the draft risk evaluation indicates that PPE use may reduce exposure and mitigate risks. The EPA found no unreasonable risks to the health of the general population from DBP and no unreasonable risks to human health from cumulative exposure to any of DBP's COUs.
DEHP Risk Evaluation Findings
The EPA's preliminary evaluation indicates that DEHP poses unreasonable risks to worker health based on 13 COUs and to the environment based on 20 COUs. For the remaining COUs of DEHP, no risks to human health or the environment were identified. Similarly, for the COUs where worker health risks were found, the initial risk determinations did not consider PPE use, but PPE use may reduce exposure and mitigate risks. The EPA found no unreasonable risks to the health of the general population from DEHP and no unreasonable risks to human health from cumulative exposure to any of DEHP's COUs.
Relevant Phthalates
DBP and DEHP are part of the five phthalates currently undergoing TSCA risk evaluations. The other three are Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP), Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP), and Dicyclohexyl Phthalate (DCHP). In January 2025, the EPA released the draft risk evaluation for DCHP and the draft cumulative risk analysis for all five phthalates, among other documents. It will release the draft risk evaluations for BBP and DIBP to the public in July 2025.
Public Comment and Peer Review
The EPA will accept public comments on the DBP and DEHP risk evaluation drafts in each phthalate's TSCA public docket. The 60 - day comment period ends on August 4, 2025. The EPA will also hold a virtual public SACC meeting from August 4 to 8, 2025, to peer review all documents related to the risk evaluations of the five phthalates.
Next Steps
After considering public comments and the independent expert peer review, the EPA will release the final risk evaluations to determine whether DBP, DEHP, BBP, DIBP, and DCHP pose unreasonable risks to human health or the environment based on the identified COUs.
Further Information
