By Caitlion O. Hunter, Esq.

A program of RISE St. James Louisiana and The Community Scientist (TCS) Research Team, led by Caitlion O. Hunter, Esq., Research & Policy Director at RISE St. James; Founder & CEO Sharon C. Lavigne; Chief Operating Officer Shamell Lavigne; Executive Marketing and Environmental Communications Consultant Gary C. Watson, Jr.; and anthropologist Tim Schütz, PhD (University of California, Irvine), and supported by dedicated community members, volunteers, and scientists.  

Most of us know plastics come from fossil fuels. But the technique for making plastics is complicated and involves the use of many mechanical processes, chemical reactions, and toxic additives. In these next Chemicals of the Month, we will be explaining some of these additive chemicals that create different types of plastic.  

Phthalates (pronounced THAH-lates) are a class of chemicals that are added to raw plastic to increase its flexibility, known as plasticizers. Depending on how much plasticizer is added to PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, can create products as diverse as water pipes, squeezable bottles, and rain jackets. In fact, flexible PVC may consist of 30% or more of a plasticizer like phthalates. Phthalates do not chemically bind to plastic and commonly leach out of soft plastic. So, even if a product itself does not contain phthalates, they can leak from soft PVC packaging into the product. Most human exposure to phthalates comes from food and drink, but phthalates can also enter the body through the skin, or inhalation of phthalate-containing vapors. 

Phthalates are endocrine disruptors, meaning that they interfere with hormone production and responses. Because phthalates can cross the placenta, pregnant women should especially avoid phthalate exposure. Hormonal disruption during fetal development or early childhood can lead to lifelong reproductive harm in both males and females. Phthalates affect the development of the testicles and the onset of male puberty. In females, phthalates interfere with reproductive health over a lifetime, and can cause premature ovarian failure, early puberty in girls with high BMI, miscarriage, and cancer of the cervix, ovaries, and uterus.  

Food and drinks commonly contain phthalates. A 2024 test found that 99% of the processed and fast foods sampled were contaminated with phthalates. Since phthalates can easily migrate from plastic into fat or oil, high-fat products like meat and dairy generally contain more phthalates than low fat or plant-based food. Plastic food packaging is commonly made with phthalates, and many paper containers are lined with phthalate-containing plastic. Plants and animals can also accumulate phthalates in their bodies from plastic-contaminated soil. Plastic gloves worn by workers handling the food can further contaminate the food with phthalates or cause the workers to absorb phthalates through their skin. 

Phthalates are also used in nail polish, hair relaxers, hairspray, and perfumes/colognes. The FDA allows the use of phthalates in cosmetics. It also does not require that phthalates are separately labeled, but allows them to be listed simply as “fragrance”. Even products that claim to be fragrance free can still contain phthalates to mask chemical odors! 

Although many personal care products contain phthalates, they are more commonly found in products marketed towards Black and Hispanic women. A February 2025 review of ingredients in over 4,000 personal care products marketed to Black women found that about 1 in 20 products was considered highly hazardous, and only 1 in 5 products was low hazard. This disparity in safe products shows up in health outcomes for Black and Hispanic women: a study of pregnant women found that non-White women had higher phthalate levels in their urine. Phthalates are often included in relaxers as a “fragrance”. A long term study of Black women who used hair relaxers found that their use was associated with a heightened risk of uterine cancer after menopause. However, it is not yet clear which chemicals, or combination of chemicals, in the relaxers give rise to the increased cancer risk. 

Unlike some chemicals which stay in the body for life, the body can eliminate phthalates within a few days. Making changes to your personal care routine or diet to eliminate plastics and fragrance can begin to lower your phthalate exposure in the short term. In the long term, our lawmakers and agencies need to take action to stop the use of these hormone disrupting chemicals.

HOW TO AVOID PHTHALATES:

• A study of phthalates in personal care products found the highest levels of phthalates in urine from women who used perfume or cologne. If you still love scent, try using perfumes made from essential oils. Avoid all personal care products with “fragrance” or “flavor” as an ingredient.

• Rethink your food storage to eliminate plastic wherever possible. Reuse glass jars, buy glass leftover containers, and use wood or bamboo cutting boards. 

• Fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, and glass bottled vegetable oils are generally low in phthalates. High-fat dairy, meat, canned food, fast food, vegetable oils packed in plastic, and processed foods have much higher levels of phthalate contamination. 

• If you have to wear single-use gloves for work, latex is the best choice, followed by nitrile. Vinyl gloves can be as much as 50% phthalates, and easily pass from the glove to food. Share this information with your manager if they are resistant to making a switch of gloves. 

If you are pregnant, make a strong effort to avoid phthalates. Check out this article for great information on sources of phthalates and swaps to reduce your exposure: https://www.babycenter.com/health/safety-and-childproofing/phthalates-what-you-need-to-know_3647067