EPA Plans to Regulate Common Chemicals Used in Plastic: What to Know

Phthalates were banned from cosmetics and clothing by the European Union in November 2020 but are still widely used in America.

Plastic is loaded onto a conveyer belt at ExxonMobil's chemical recycling plant in Baytown, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2023. Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images

Plastic is loaded onto a conveyer belt at ExxonMobil's chemical recycling plant in Baytown, Texas, on Oct. 11, 2023. Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images

The Trump administration kicked off 2026 by gearing up to regulate dozens of ways that phthalate chemicals are used in the United States.

Phthalates are common chemicals used to make plastics more flexible, but they pose risks that have health experts sounding the alarm.

Here’s a breakdown of what The Epoch Times has learned about the family of chemicals and how it will be regulated.

What Are Phthalate Chemicals?

Phthalates are a series of chemicals widely used to make plastic soft and flexible, according to the National Library of Medicine. Plastics combined with the softening chemicals can be found in the workplace and in households across the United States in items such as food packaging, shower curtains, cosmetics, and synthetic clothing.

Phthalates were banned from cosmetics and clothing by the European Union in November 2020 but are still widely used in the United States.

What Are Potential Harms?

Phthalate chemicals can cause health abnormalities such as hormone deficiencies and endocrine disruption, which can lead to developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune system problems in humans.

“Chronic exposure to phthalates will adversely influence the endocrine system and functioning of multiple organs, which has negative long-term impacts on the success of pregnancy, child growth and development, and reproductive systems in both young children and adolescents,” according to the National Library of Medicine.

Children are more vulnerable than adults if exposed to phthalates, especially during their early years, according to the medical library. Exposure can cause obesity and respiratory issues, and problems with children’s reproductive hormones and thyroid function.

Studies show there is an association between phthalate exposure and Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, obesity, allergies, and asthma in adult men and women.

How Do Phthalates Enter the Body?

Phthalates can enter the human body easily through ingestion, inhalation, and contact with skin.

Heating plastic food containers in a microwave can cause the chemicals to leak from the container into the food, which is then ingested.

Phthalates can enter children’s bodies if they put plastic toys in their mouths. Toymakers Early Start, Lego, and Gerber have pledged to eliminate phthalates from their products.

People can unknowingly apply the chemicals straight to their bodies through fragranced lotions, body washes, hair care products, and nail polish, according to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Phthalates can even attach to dust particles and be inhaled.

How Will Phthalates Be Regulated?

The Trump administration announced on Dec. 31, 2025, that it plans to regulate dozens of ways that five phthalate chemicals are being used after “finding unreasonable risks to workers and the environment,” according to a statement by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin.

“MAHA activists were right, and the Trump EPA strongly agrees, that exposures in certain settings exceed safe levels and could cause endocrine disruption and reproductive health impacts,” Zeldin wrote in an X post on Dec. 31, 2025.

The chemicals that will be monitored include butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP).

The regulation announcement was backed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The regulation will mostly apply to workplaces, such as building materials used in industrial settings.

The EPA’s recent risk evaluation that prompted the regulations did not analyze exposures from food, food additives, food packaging, medical devices, cosmetics, and other consumer products because those items are reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration or the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

When Will Regulations Begin?

The Trump administration has not yet revealed when or how exactly it will regulate the chemicals.

Zeldin said he will work with businesses, labor groups, and communities to develop rules aimed at eliminating the risks to workers and the environment.

“We'll work directly with stakeholders to develop targeted protections that keep workers safe and protect our environment,” Zeldin said. “This is exactly what science-based environmental protection should look like.”

The regulations will consider factors such as health impacts, environmental impacts, groups being exposed, and how dangerous the chemical can be.