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

In December 2025, EPA released the final 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). EPA designated DBP as a High-Priority Substance in December 2019.

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

On this page:

• What is DBP?
• Risk Evaluation
• Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents
• Draft Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents

What is 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).

Risk Evaluation

EPA is determined that DBP presents unreasonable risk of injury to human health based on identified risk to workers from five  conditions of use (COU) and that DBP presents an unreasonable risk to the environment from one COU. EPA did not identify a risk of injury to human health or the environment from the other 38 COUs for DBP. For COUs with identified risk to workers, these risk determinations do not reflect the use of personal protective equipment (PPE); however, as the risk evaluation shows, the use of PPE may reduce exposures and mitigate risk. EPA did not identify unreasonable risk of injury to human health for the general population or consumers for DBP from any COU. 

Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents

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

• Risk Evaluation for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (5.26 MB)
• Nontechnical Summary of the TSCA Risk Evaluation for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (204.73 KB)
• Physical Chemistry and Fate and Transport Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (1.08 MB)
• Environmental Release and Occupational Exposure Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (3.47 MB)
• Consumer and Indoor Dust Exposure Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (2.93 MB)
• Environmental Media, General Population, and Environmental Exposure for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (2.77 MB)
• Environmental Hazard Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (1.32 MB)
• Non-Cancer Human Health Hazard Assessment for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (pdf) (5.19 MB)
• Cancer Human Health Hazard Assessment for Di(2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP), Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP), Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP), and Dicyclohexyl Phthalate (DCHP) (pdf) (2.98 MB)
• Consumer Exposure Analysis for Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) (xlsx) (21.27 MB)
• 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) Under the (pdf) (4 MB)
• Response to Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) Recommendations Regarding Peer Review of the Draft Risk Evaluations of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), and Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), and the Technical Support Docu (pdf) (1.03 MB)
• Response to Public Comments on the Draft Risk Evaluations for Butyl Benzyl Phthalate (BBP); Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP); Dicyclohexyl Phthalate (DCHP); Diethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP); and Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP) (pdf) (2.11 MB)

Additional technical support files for the Risk Evaluation of DBP (zip) .

Draft Risk Evaluation and Supporting Documents

In June 2025, EPA released the draft risk evaluation and associated technical support documents for DBP for public comment and peer review by the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC). For more information, please visit the draft risk evaluation webpage.