Dioctyl phthalate, DOP is an organic compound. It is the most common phthalate plasticiser. This colourless viscous liquid is soluble in oil, but not in water. It has a low vapour pressure, but temperatures for processing PVC articles are often high, leading to a release of elevated levels. Due to this, there are concerns over the use of DOP (in particular for use in food packaging and children's toys) and the use of any Phthalates are being phased out of many products in the United States, Canada, European Union.