Phthalates: Strategies for Preventing or Controlling Exposures

Total Elimination of Plasticizer compounds use in products
-Not likely due to our dependence/benefits of flexible plastics
“Net Societal Benefit”
-Requires Legislation for compliance

Substitution of less harmful substances
-One example is using a 3 layer polypropylene in blood bags which gives the needed softening, but yet keeps the barrier protection
Case Study XVI: Miller Children Hospital (Long Beach, CA)
-Eliminated IV sets that contained DEHP
-Total projected cost was $20,000 or ~$20 per patient
-Other known substitutes (depending on the product) include silicon, polyurethane, polyethylene and nylon.

Reduction of quantity of phthalates used. Either:
- reduce the amount in specific product recipes
- reduce the total number of products with phthalates added

Mandate appropriate disposal of products containing phthalates
- reduces materials being incinerated/land filled potentially
reducing inhalation/ingestion exposures
- public education needed

Possible effluent technology in industrial sector, reducing emissions

Bioremediation of DEHP
-Microbes have been shown to degrade compound in weeks XII

Photodegradation of DEP

Water treatment methods approved by EPA for removing phthalates using Granular Activated Charcoal XVII

Using alternative sources of drinking water when your area has known levels of phthalate (DEHP) to exceed the Maximum Contaminate Level (MCL) of 6 ppb XVII

Respirator use in the occupational setting, reducing the intake of air pollutants. Other occupational changes include process enclosure and ventilation where phthalate fumes are shown in increased levels