EPA Releases Memorandum with Additional Context on Occupational Exposure Data for DEHP
Released July 28, 2025
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a memorandum that provides additional information on the occupational exposure assessment in the draft risk evaluation for di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP).
This memo provides clarifying information on the draft assessment by providing a calculation of the number of workers and occupational non-users (ONUs) exposed to DEHP for each Occupational Exposure Scenario (OES) identified by the agency in the draft risk evaluation. Normally, a primary difference between workers and ONUs is that workers may handle DEHP and have direct contact with the chemical, while ONUs do not directly handle DEHP but may be indirectly exposed to it as part of their employment. While the calculation of the numbers of different groups of workers that may be exposed to DEHP through each OES does not have implications for risk evaluation, information on the numbers of different groups of workers may inform the strategies for managing any risks identified in the risk evaluation.
This memo also includes additional details on the inhalation monitoring data used to determine inhalation exposure of workers to DEHP in an occupational setting. These details provide clarity on the number of personal breathing zone samples included in the exposure estimates. The memo also identifies the number of samples where, if there was DEHP in the air, it was at levels below the limit at which the monitoring equipment could detect DEHP (i.e., "non-detects") and how those values are incorporated in the calculation of inhalation exposure for each OES. The details in this memo do not impact the inhalation exposure estimates presented in the Draft Risk Evaluation for DEHP released in June 2025.
The draft risk evaluation is open for public comment until August 4, 2025, via docket EPA-HQ-OPPT-2018-0433. There will also be a meeting of the Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals on August 4-8, 2025, to discuss the draft risk evaluations for and associated materials for five phthalates, including DEHP. After the public comment period and peer review, the information in this memorandum will be incorporated into the final risk evaluation for DEHP and technical support documents, as appropriate.