Risk Evaluation for Dibutyl Phthalate (1,2-Benzene- dicarboxylic acid, 1,2- dibutyl ester) (DBP)

In June 2025, EPA released the draft risk evaluation and associated technical support documents for dibutyl phthalate (1,2-Benzene- dicarboxylic acid, 1,2- dibutyl ester) (DBP) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for public comment and peer review by the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC).

EPA designated DBP as a High-Priority Substance in December 2019 and the chemical is currently undergoing risk evaluation.

Find more information about other chemicals undergoing risk evaluations under TSCA.

On this page:

Risk Evaluation Findings
Background on DBP
Conditions of Use of DBP
Recent Activities and Opportunities for Public Comment
Draft Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents

Risk Evaluation Findings

EPA is preliminarily determining that DBP presents unreasonable risk of injury to human health based on identified risk to workers from 20 COUs, risk to consumers from four COUs, and that DBP presents an unreasonable risk to the environment from one COU. EPA did not preliminarily identify a risk of injury to human health or the environment from the other 19 COUs for DBP. For COUs with identified risk to workers, these preliminary risk determinations do not reflect the use of personal protective equipment (PPE); however, as the draft risk evaluation shows, the use of PPE may reduce exposures and mitigate risk. EPA did not preliminarily identify unreasonable risk of injury to human health for the general population for DBP from any COU. EPA did not preliminarily identify any COUs for DBP for which the addition of cumulative exposure contributed to unreasonable risk to human health.

Background on DBP

DBP (CASRN 84-74-2) is a colorless to faint yellow oily liquid. The primary use for DBP is as a plasticizer, in adhesives and sealants, and paints and coatings. Information from the 2016 Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) for DBP indicates the reported production volume is between 1 million and 10 million lbs/year (manufacture and import).

Conditions of Use of DBP

In the final scope, EPA identified conditions of use associated with the importing; processing; distribution in commerce; industrial, commercial and consumer uses; and disposal of DBP, for example:

In adhesives and sealants;
In paints and coatings;
For laboratory chemicals; and
In commercial and consumer products, including adhesives and sealants, paints and coatings, floor coverings, furniture, chemiluminescent light sticks, lubricants, fabric, textiles and leather.

The above listed conditions of use are ways that a person or the environment could be potentially exposed to this chemical. However, when conducting a risk evaluation, EPA also considers the hazards (i.e., health effects or environmental impacts) that could occur from coming in contact with a chemical.

Recent Activities and Opportunities for Public Comment

In June 2025, EPA released the draft risk evaluation for public comment and peer review. EPA will accept comments for 60 days via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0503 on regulations.gov. See this schedule for more information. In addition, EPA’s SACC will peer review the draft risk evaluation on August 4-8, 2025. Additional information will be forthcoming.

In August 2020, EPA published a final scope document outlining the hazards, exposures, conditions of use, and the potentially exposed or susceptible subpopulations the agency expects to consider in its risk evaluation. The agency released the draft scope in April 2020 and took public comments on the draft document.

Read the final scope of the risk evaluation for this chemical and EPA’s response to comments on the draft scope.
View the docket for this chemical, EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0503 on regulations.gov.

In addition to public comment periods, EPA will continue to engage with stakeholders as it refines the risk evaluation and stakeholders should reach out to EPA via the staff contact to engage with the agency.

Draft Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents

View the supporting documents in docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0503.