Editing Polyvinyl chloride (section)

===Plasticizers===
Phthalates, which are incorporated into plastics as plasticizers, comprise approximately 70% of the US plasticizer market; phthalates are by design not covalently bound to the polymer matrix, which makes them highly susceptible to leaching. Phthalates are contained in plastics at high percentages. For example, they can contribute up to 40% by weight to intravenous medical bags and up to 80% by weight in medical tubing.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1146/annurev.publhealth.012809.103714| doi-access=free|pmid=20070188|title=Plastics and Health Risks|journal=Annual Review of Public Health|volume=31|pages=179–194|year=2010|last1=Halden|first1=Rolf U.| issue=1}}</ref> Vinyl products are pervasive—including toys,<ref>[http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2005/l_344/l_34420051227en00400043.pdf Directive 2005/84/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 14 December 2005] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504104216/http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2005/l_344/l_34420051227en00400043.pdf |date=4 May 2013 }}. Official Journal of the European Union. 27 December 2005</ref> car interiors, shower curtains, and flooring—and initially release chemical gases into the air. Some studies indicate that this [[outgassing]] of additives may contribute to health complications, and have resulted in a call for banning the use of DEHP on shower curtains, among other uses.<ref>[http://www.canada.com/cityguides/winnipeg/info/story.html?id=dfe49cb3-b104-4d4a-a449-14e4faf17e2b Vinyl shower curtains a 'volatile' hazard, study says] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904012142/http://www.canada.com/cityguides/winnipeg/info/story.html?id=dfe49cb3-b104-4d4a-a449-14e4faf17e2b |date=4 September 2010 }}. Canada.com (12 June 2008). Retrieved on 6 October 2011.</ref>

In 2004 a joint Swedish-Danish research team found a statistical association between allergies in children and indoor air levels of DEHP and BBzP ([[butyl benzyl phthalate]]), which is used in vinyl flooring.<ref>{{cite journal| doi = 10.1289/ehp.7187| author = Bornehag, Carl-Gustaf| year = 2004| title = The Association between Asthma and Allergic Symptoms in Children and Phthalates in House Dust: A Nested Case–Control Study| journal = Environmental Health Perspectives| volume = 112| issue = 14| pages = 1393–1397| pmid = 15471731| pmc = 1247566| last2 = Sundell| first2 = Jan| last3 = Weschler| first3 = Charles J.| last4 = Sigsgaard| first4 = Torben| last5 = Lundgren| first5 = Björn| last6 = Hasselgren| first6 = Mikael| last7 = Hägerhed-Engman| first7 = Linda| bibcode = 2004EnvHP.112.1393B|display-authors=etal}}</ref> In December 2006, the [[European Chemicals Bureau]] of the European Commission released a final draft risk assessment of BBzP which found "no concern" for consumer exposure including exposure to children.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080602175817/http://blog.phthalates.org/archives/2007/01/more_good_news.html Phthalate Information Center Blog: More good news from Europe]. phthalates.org (3 January 2007)</ref>