Today's KNOWLEDGE Share : EPA Finalizes TSCA Risk Evaluation for Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP):

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

EPA Finalizes TSCA Risk Evaluation for Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP):

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final risk evaluation for diisononyl phthalate (DINP) conducted under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). EPA has determined that DINP presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health, because workers could be exposed to high concentrations of DINP in mist when spraying adhesive, sealant, paint, and coating products that contain DINP. DINP can cause developmental toxicity and harm the liver and can cause cancer at higher rates of exposure. Also, DINP can harm the developing male reproductive system, known as “phthalate syndrome” (e.g., decreased fetal testicular testosterone, male reproductive tract malformations, male nipple retention, and decreased male fertility). Therefore, EPA is including DINP in its cumulative risk analysis for six phthalates that demonstrate effects consistent with phthalate syndrome. This draft risk analysis was released earlier this month. 

DINP is used as a plasticizer to make flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and to make building and construction materials; automotive articles; and other commercial and consumer products including adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, and electrical and electronic products. 

Uses and Risks Associated with DINP 

EPA conducted the risk evaluation for DINP at the manufacturer’s request. Under TSCA, manufacturers can request that EPA conduct risk evaluations on chemicals they manufacture. EPA received and granted this manufacturer request for a risk evaluation of DINP in 2019.  

Workers may be exposed to DINP when making products or otherwise using DINP in the workplace. When it is manufactured or used to make products, DINP can be released into the water where most will end up in the sediment at the bottom of lakes and rivers. If released into the air, DINP will attach to dust particles and be deposited on land or into water. Indoors, DINP has the potential over time to come out of products and adhere to dust particles. If it does, people could inhale or ingest dust that contains DINP. 

In the risk evaluation, EPA has determined that DINP poses unreasonable risk of injury to human health when workers are exposed to the chemical under four conditions of use that represent approximately 3% of the DINP production volume in the U.S. EPA found that workers are at risk if they are unprotected from the DINP contained in spray-applied adhesives and sealants, and paints and coatings. Spraying these products could create high concentrations of DINP in mist that an unprotected worker could inhale. EPA did not identify risk of injury to human health for consumers or the general population or the environment that would contribute to the unreasonable risk of DINP.  

source EPA