Recent reports suggest that plasticisers used in PVC disrupt the human hormone system and can reduce sperm counts. Are we sure that plasticizers do not cause reproductive health problems?
It has been hypothesised (and at the moment it remains a hypothesis) that some reported cases of reduced sperm count in men may be due to exposure to chemicals in the environment which mimic the natural female hormone oestrogen. There is still no evidence that there is a general problem in humans and no evidence that chemicals in general, or any chemicals specifically, are the cause. However, this hypothesis has sparked interest in the development of screening tests which could be used to identify oestrogenic substances. The potential reproductive risk posed by some phthalate esters has recently been reviewed by the Commission of the European Communities. While it is the case that some phthalates have been shown to cause reproductive effects in rats and mice, these have occurred at levels 10,000 times higher than the estimated exposure to people. It is, therefore, very unlikely that any significant risk to human reproductive health is associated with the use of phthalates. The hypothes
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