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

In December 2024, EPA released the following draft technical support documents for the draft risk evaluation for dibutyl phthalate (1,2-Benzene- dicarboxylic acid, 1,2- dibutyl ester) (DBP): human health non-cancer hazard, environmental hazard, and physical chemistry and fate. The remaining draft documents and draft risk evaluation will be released in early 2025. See this schedule here for more information.

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

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

On this page:

• Background on DBP
• Conditions of Use of DBP
• Recent Activities and Opportunities for Public Comment
• Supporting Documents

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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 December 2024, EPA released the following draft technical support documents for the draft risk evaluation for DBP: human health non-cancer hazard, environmental hazard, and physical chemistry and fate. The remaining draft documents and draft risk evaluation will be released in early 2025. The formal 60-day public comment period will begin when DBP’s full draft risk evaluation, including all technical support documents, the risk characterization and the risk determination, is announced in the Federal Register and posted to docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0503. EPA will announce when the remaining draft technical support documents and draft risk evaluation have been posted to the docket. See this schedule here for more information. 

EPA will hold a virtual public meeting of the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) to discuss EPA’s data, methods, models, and approaches for the evaluations of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), and DCHP. This includes the cross-phthalate technical support documents for human health benchmark dose analysis, cancer analysis, and cumulative risk analysis. The SACC meeting will take place in the spring of 2025. View the SACC website for more information on these meetings.

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.

As EPA continues to move through the risk evaluation process there will be additional opportunities for public comment, including a public comment period on the draft risk evaluation. 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.

Supporting Documents

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

• Draft Environmental Hazard Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (1.23 MB)
• Draft Non-cancer Human Health Hazard Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (2.35 MB)
• Draft Physical Chemistry and Fate and Transport Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (1.06 MB)
• Draft Technical Support Document for the Cumulative Risk Analysis of Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP), Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP), Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP), Dicyclohexyl Phthalate (DCHP), and Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP) (pdf) (3.43 MB)
• Draft Meta-analysis and Benchmark Dose Modeling of Fetal Testicular Testosterone for Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP), Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP), Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP), and Dicyclohexyl Phthalate (DCHP) (pdf) (2.06 MB)