WASHINGTON (May 21, 2024) — Today, the American Chemistry Council’s High Phthalates Panel issued the following statement on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) completion of a draft manufacturer-requested risk evaluation for DIDP and the release of draft hazard assessments for DINP:
We recognize the effort by EPA to generate a comprehensive risk evaluation for DIDP and appreciate the opportunity to evaluate the application of best-available science in the draft risk evaluation. We’re still reviewing the draft documents in detail.
“EPA did not find evidence to determine that DIDP causes cancer, which is similar to the findings of other regulatory agencies like the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Health Canada, the European Chemicals Agency, and Australia’s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme.
“EPA concluded that 46 of the 47 industrial/commercial uses for DIDP are safe and requested further clarification on the single use identified as posing unreasonable risk. EPA determined that DIDP does not pose unreasonable risk of injury to human health for consumers, the general population or to the environment. We look forward to continuing engagement with EPA and the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) to clarify any uncertainties and demonstrate the safety of DIDP in all current uses.
“We appreciate EPA releasing the hazard assessments for DINP for peer review. Based on initial review, EPA’s conclusions are in line with those made by other regulatory agencies including that the weight of scientific evidence supports a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα) MOA for liver tumors observed in rats and mice. The consensus of the scientific community is that this is a non-human relevant mode of action.
“While we’re still reviewing the draft hazard assessments in detail, the selected points of departure for human health assessment are also in line with those selected by other regulatory agencies which have been the most sensitive for human health risk assessment and are protective of human health and the environment.
We have full confidence in the safety of DIDP and DINP, and this is why manufacturers through ACC’s High Phthalates Panel requested risk evaluations in 2019. This assessment of safety is important to businesses and consumers of these important products.
“We look forward to the SACC meeting this summer for the opportunity to engage with the panel and highlight the key science.”
On Background
EPA initiated a risk evaluation for DIDP on January 2, 2020, after it received a request from ExxonMobil Chemical Company through ACC’s High Phthalates Panel.
EPA initiated a risk evaluation for DINP on January 2, 2020, after it received a request from Evonik Corporation, ExxonMobil Chemical Company, and Teknor Apex through ACC’s High Phthalates Panel.
