Now.. I'm going to give you a few links on that plastics story I worked on for noon this Monday. But, if this is an issue that troubles you, I encourage you to look into it on your own. Be aware that if you do a google search for phthalates, etc... you will get a number of biased websites that pop up immediately-- both for and against the use of these compounds. And sometimes it's hard to tell where the bias lays.

What I can do is get you started with some Centers For Disease Control & Prevention information that will lead to other sites.
http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/pdf/factsheet_phthalates.pdf

Here is a link from an enviromental group firmly opposed to the use of these compounds:
http://www.ewg.org/node/25808

And here is an industry association website emphasizing the current scientific understanding of these chemicals.
http://www.phthalates.org/index.asp

And while I'm flat out of time.. let me share this last link with you to an older USA Today article on bisphenol-A:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-08-08-bisphonolA_N.htm

I hope this gives you a start!!
sstricklen@kgw.com

---