Phthalates findings cast a shadow over chemical sector

New evidence that phthalates - used in plastics and cosmetics - may be causing reproductive problems in boys could prove to be the biggest single chemical effect ever documented, according to a leading UK researcher on endocrine-disrupting compounds. The study, which shows that mothers with higher phthalate exposures are more likely to produce feminised boys, has potential to cast gloom across the whole chemical industry, further undermining its public image.