The influence of resource strategies on childhood phthalate exposure—The role of REACH in a zero waste society

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate how resource strategies, which intend to reduce waste and increase recycling, influence on human exposure to hazardous chemicals from material recycling. In order to examine the flows of hazardous chemicals in recycled material, a mass flow analysis of plastics and paper at European level, including the flow of phthalates, i.e. di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and benzyl-butyl phthalate (BBP), has been performed. The result for the year 2012 shows that 26% of plastic wastes and 60% of paper consumed in Europe were recycled. This corresponds to the finding that approximately 4% of DEHP and BBP and 18% of DBP annual demands in Europe as raw material re-enter the product cycle with recycled plastics and paper. To examine the potential contribution of the phthalate exposure through recycled plastics and paper, a case study assessing the childhood exposures to phthalates from foods packed in recycled paper and plastics has been performed for 2-year-old children in Denmark. The result verifies that an increase in recycled paperboard and PET bottles in food packaging material causes a significant increase in childhood exposure to DBP corresponding to an additional exposure of 0.116-0.355 μg/kg bw/day; up to 18% of the total DBP exposure in Danish 2-year-olds. While most of the DEHP exposure can be explained, more than 50% of DBP and 70% of BBP exposure sources still remain to be identified. Finally, a conceptual framework for a circular economy based on sustainable and clean resource flows is proposed in order to increase material recycling without increasing adverse health effects.

Are the resource strategies for sustainable development sustainable? Downside of a zero waste society with circular resource flows

“…The present study is a follow up study of Lee et al (2014Lee et al ( , doi: 10.1016Lee et al ( /j.envint.2014.08.003) which presented the mass flow of plastic and paper products in Europe with accompanying flows of three phthalates, i.e. DEHP, DBP, and BBP, in above mentioned products.…”

“…To this end, it is important to eliminate toxic chemicals which can impair reuse and return of resources to the biosphere (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013). However, national resource action plans seem to focus only on increasing the "quantity" of reused and recycled resources and overlook the "quality" of resource flows re-entering to the product cycle (Lee et al, 2014).…”

“…Phthalates, diesters of ortho-phthalic acid, have been used as, e.g. plasticizers, stabilizers, lubricants, dispersants, and binders, and widely applied to make plastics, paints and inks with the annual global demand reaching nearly 6 million tons (Lee et al, 2014;ECPI, 2013). As adverse health effects such as effects on liver, kidney and the reproductive system, have been reported, some of these phthalates such as Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), and Benzyl-butyl phthalate (BBP) are classified as presumed human reproductive toxicants (EC, 2008a) and restricted on the use in products, e.g.…”

“…As part of the efforts to foster the transition into a circular economy, plastics wastes and paper have been recycled, e.g. in Europe 26% of plastic wastes and 60% of consumed paper were sent for material recycling in 2012 (Lee et al, 2014). However, when plastics and papers are recycled, phthalates in these plastic and paper products can also re-enter to the product cycle.…”

“…However, when plastics and papers are recycled, phthalates in these plastic and paper products can also re-enter to the product cycle. As there is no specific guidance for assessing the risk potential of contaminants in recycled materials (Lee et al, 2014), products made from recycled plastics and paper might contain some of the above mentioned phthalates as unwanted impurities. Thereby, they can become additional exposure sources threatening human health (Gärtner et al, 2009;Keresztes et al, 2013).…”