Phthalates in Baby Care Products

Introduction
A study published in the February 2008 edition of the journal, Pediatrics , suggested that the use of baby lotion, powder, and shampoo is linked to the presence of phthalates in babies.Phthalates are a large family of compounds used in a wide variety of everyday products. They are used primarily as plasticizers, giving flexibility to rubber, plastic, or resin and can also be used to stabilize and make fragrances work properly. The studys researchers analyzed urine concentrations of nine different phthalate metabolites in 163 infants and concluded that the use of these baby products resulted in higher levels of phthalates in the infants. (Metabolites are the substances that arise from the chemical changes that take place in living cells).

Are parents exposing their children to phthalates through the use of baby shampoo, lotion or powder?
Because there are serious shortcomings in this study, the reported correlation between the use of infant personal care products and elevated levels of phthalates in infants is questionable. Six of the seven phthalates studied in this investigation are not used in infant shampoo, lotion or powder. The presence of these phthalates in urine samples, if true, could not have been caused by use of infant personal care products. The phthalates either came from another source or were erroneously reported to be present. This uncertainty could have been avoided if the researchers had analyzed the infant personal care products to determine if these phthalates were present in the products before reporting a correlation. The only phthalate that is sometimes present in personal care products intended for use on children and infants is diethyl phthalate (DEP). However, when it is used in such products, the amount used is so low that it would be unlikely to yield metabolites that could be detected in the urine samples analyzed. A study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), published in 2006, shows that DEP is the only phthalate present in lotions and shampoo and the one baby product analyzed in the study and that the levels in these products are very low . Link to FDA information on phthalates in cosmetics: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-phth.html

Is the DEP used in some baby care products safe?

The only phthalate sometimes found in baby care products is diethyl phthalate (DEP), a component of some fragrance preparations. When DEP is used in personal care products intended for infants and children, it is used at very low levels that have been determined by independent scientific experts to be safe. No other phthalates are used in fragrance preparations or baby products. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel, a panel of expert scientists and physicians who assess the safety of personal care product ingredients in the U.S., determined DEP to be safe for use in personal care products. In addition, the Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP), the body that advises the European Union Commission on safety matters related to cosmetics, determined that the safety profile of [DEP] supports its use in cosmetics at current levels. The FDA continues to monitor consumers' potential exposure to phthalates from the use of personal care products. Based on current information, FDA has concluded that there is no compelling evidence that DEP, as used in personal care products, poses a safety risk. Link to SCCP review: December 2003: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/sccp/documents... June 2002: http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/sccp/documents... Link to CosmeticsINFO.org statement on Phthalates: http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/HBI/23/

Link to DEP ingredient page: http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient_details.php?ingredie...