ENDOCRINE DISRUPTOR CHEMICALS - Plastics and Environmental Sustainability - page 301

et al. (2009b) as well as by Wargo (2008) and are shown in Table 7.7 .
A detailed discussion of the adverse impacts or mechanisms of endocrine
disruption are beyond the scope of this chapter. Several excellent reviews
(Committee on the Health Risks of Phthalates, National Research Council,
2001; Versar, Inc. and Syracuse Research Corporation, 2010) discuss the
various biological impacts of exposure to phthalate.

Table 7.7 A Summary of Effects of Human Exposure to
Phthalates

System affected Adverse effect reported References

1. Male
reproductive
system

• Shorter ano-genital distance*
• Smaller genitalia and
incompletely descended
testicles*
• Semen quality deterioration

Swan et al.
(2006)
Lottrup et al.
(2006)

Duty et al.
(2003)

2. Female
reproductive
system

• Early signs of puberty
• Links to endometriosis and
uterine fibromatosis
• Pregnancy complications and
premature deliveries

Colon et al.
(2000)

Latini et al.
(2003)
Lovekamp-Swan
(2003)

3. Thyroid effects • Lower levels of thyroid
hormones

Meeker et al.
(2007)

4. Asthma • Correlation with allergic asthma Bornehag et al.

(2004)

7.3.3 Environmental Sustainability and Phthalates

Unlike with BPA, however, the government agencies in Europe, Japan, and
the United States are in agreement on the need to restrict selected
phthalates in some products. The US legislation (under the Consumer
Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008) regulates two classes of
phthalates: the first group consisting of DEHP, DBP, and BBP cannot