A panel from the independent National Research Council urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday to study the risks of some chemicals found in many plastic products, to see if they are harmful to people.

 

Although most of the research has been done in animals, there's no reason to think that the substances wouldn't affect humans the same way, says report co-author Paul Foster, of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

 

Phthalates, which make plastic products soft and flexible and have been used commercially in hundreds of consumer products for decades, including bug spray, perfume, pesticides, shower curtains, food containers, and plastic toys. They are different from another chemical, bisphenol A, or BPA, found in plastic products including baby bottles, which also caught the attention of public health watchdogs. The Food and Drug Administration says BPA is safe at current levels of exposure but plans more research.

 

Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and independent scientists found phthalates practically in everyone, including pregnant women and babies. The best way to protect people — especially infants and fetuses, whose reproductive systems are not fully developed — is to measure the cumulative impact of this hormonal barrage, Deborah Cory-Slechta says, from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. In fact, she says that the EPA should always consider cumulative effects — not just for hormone disruptors, but for all potential toxins.

 

Animal and human studies confirm the fact that these chemicals lead to a variety of problems of the male reproductive system, from reduced sperm counts to genital malformations. Scientists are also studying the chemicals' link to testicular or liver cancer and other medical problems.

 

President George W. Bush signed a law earlier this year banning three types of phthalates in children’s toys and child care items. The law also temporarily prohibited three other chemicals pending further analysis. The European Union has restricted phthalates in cosmetics and children's toys. A growing number of hospitals are dealing with phthalates in neonatal intensive care units, hoping to protect premature and sick newborn boys.

 

Some retailers including Wal-Mart and Toys R Us have announced plans to phase out phthalates in toys. On the other hand, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said that it will allow stores to continue selling toys made with phthalates, as long as they were manufactured before the law takes effect on Feb. 10th.