The European Union has agreed to let companies use recycled plastics containing softening additive diethylhexyl phthalate despite opposition from politicians and environmentalists who say exposure to the chemical poses a threat to human health. The European Commission said there would be safeguards to address such concerns, such as monitoring and reporting requirements concerning worker exposure to DEHP, and the adoption of a shorter period when the authorization will have to be reviewed. DEHP is an endocrine disruptor and can pose toxic threats to the reproductive system.