Other Concerns
Use restrictions (high), Endocrine disruption (moderate), Persistence and bioaccumulation (moderate), Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (high), and Ecotoxicology (low)SYNONYMS
Unacceptable
Unacceptable: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient
The State of California and other authoritative bodies have classified dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as a reproductive and developmental toxicant, and the European Union banned the use of this ingredient in cosmetics and personal care products. In animal studies, exposure to DBP during gestation causes infertility, cryptorchidism and problems in sperm development, adverse effects similar to human testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Prenatal exposure to DBP has been associated with anatomical changes in the reproductive system development in baby boys. In adult men, DBP has been correlated with changes in serum hormone levels, lower sperm concentration and motility, and decreased fertility.
Common concerns
See how this product scores for common concerns.
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LOWCancer
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LOWAllergies & Immunotoxicity
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MODERATEDevelopmental and Reproductive Toxicity
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HIGHUse Restrictions
Ingredient concerns
- CONCERNS
- DATA SOURCES
Products with this Ingredient
Use restrictions
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Violation of government restrictions - Banned or found unsafe for use in cosmetics | CosIng |
Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Known human respiratory toxicant | EPA Hazardous Air Pollutants |
One or more animal studies show classified as toxic effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | EPA Toxic Release Inventory PBTs |
One or more animal studies show any effects at moderate doses (low dose studies may be unavailable for this ingredient) | EPA Categorized List of Inert Pesticide Ingredients |
reproductive - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Classified as a low human health priority | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmful | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Endocrine disruption
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence | European Commission on Endocrine Disruption |
Limited evidence of endocrine disruption | Scorecard.org Toxicity Information |
endocrine - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | Our Stolen Future Endocrine Disruptors |
endocrine - weight of evidence unknown/unassessed/unreview: published lit review or major tox study | Illinois EPA Chemicals Associated with Endocrine System |
Developmental/reproductive toxicity
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Possible human developmental toxicant | California EPA Proposition 65 |
Limited evidence of reproductive toxicity | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Limited evidence of reproductive toxicity | CPS&Q - Classification & Labelling |
Limited evidence of developmental toxicity | Scorecard.org Toxicity Information |
Persistence and bioaccumulation
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife | OSPAR PBTs - Substances of Possible Concern |
Not suspected to be bioaccumulative | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Not suspected to be persistent | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Allergies/immunotoxicity
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Limited evidence of immune system toxicity or allergies | National Library of Medicine HazMap |
Ecotoxicology
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Wildlife and environmental toxicity | CPS&Q - Classification & Labelling |
Wildlife and environmental toxicity | Illinois EPA Chemicals Associated with Endocrine System |
Wildlife and environmental toxicity | EPA Clean Water Act - Priority Pollutants |
Suspected to be an environmental toxin | Environment Canada Domestic Substance List |
Data gaps
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Insufficient data to determine safety | EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) |
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported "as used" concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in product | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
13018 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical | NLM PubMed |
Cancer
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Limited or incomplete evidence of cancer according to safety/hazard data – government assessment cannot classify as human carcinogen due to data gaps | EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) |
Informational
CONCERN | REFERENCE |
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Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - any | Cosmetic Ingredient Review Assessments |
- European Commission. 2013. Cosing, the European Commission database with information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. Accessed on March 1, 2013 at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cosmetics/cosing/ .
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2005. Office of Air. The 112(b)1 Hazardous Air Pollutants List (as modified). Last modified: 12 Dec 2005.
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1999. Toxics Release Inventory Program. PBT Chemical Rule.
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 1987 & 2005. Office of Pesticide Programs. Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients in Pesticide Products - Categorized List of Inert (other) Pesticide Ingredients.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
- EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
- EU (European Union)- Strategy for Endocrine Disrupters 2007. Commision on endocrin disruption requested by the European Parliament in 1998.
- ED (Environmental Defense). 2006. Scorecard _ The Pollution Information Site. http://www.scorecard.org.
- Colborn T, D Dumanoski, JP Myers. 2006. Widespread Pollutants with Endocrine-disrupting Effects. Updated from original listing in "Our Stolen Future" (1996).
- Illinois EPA (Illinois Environmental Protection Agency). 2000. Preliminary list of chemicals associated with endocrine system effects in animals and humans (*) or in vitro (+). In EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) 2000. Handbook for Non-Cancer Health Effects Valuation, Appendix C.
- California EPA (California Environmental Protection Agency). 9/2008. Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Chemicals known to the State to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.
- CPS&Q (Consumer Products Safety & Quality) formely known as ECB (European Chemicals Bureau). 2008. Classification and Labelling: Chemicals: Annex VI of Directive 67/548/EEC through the 31st ATP.
- OSPAR (Oslo-Paris). 2002. OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern. Secondary OSPAR List of Substances of Possible Concern. Secondary OSPAR. Place Published, OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environement of North-East Atlanic.
- EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2008. Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Evidence for human carcinogenicity based on 1986-2005 guidelines.
- CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review). 2006. CIR Compendium, containing abstracts, discussions, and conclusions of CIR cosmetic ingredient safety assessments. Washington DC.
- NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
Understanding scores
Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.
Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORESHazard score
The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.
Data availability
The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.