Plasticizers | additives feature
Health, safety and environmental issues are driving the development of novel PVC plasticizers plus widespread investments in new capacity. Peter Mapleston catches up on all the action
PVC gets greener with the latest plasticizers
Recent PVC plasticizer developments have been fuelled to a great extent by health, safety, and environmental issues. The sun is now setting on the age of low molecular weight (LMW) ortho-phthalate esters, as regulations in Europe and the USA increasingly reduce their fi eld of application. The sunset date set by European Union REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) regulations is 21 February 2015, after which, in all probability, only DEHP among this group of plasticizers will be permitted for use in a restricted range of PVC applications. DEHP is classifi ed in the European Union as a
Category 1B reproductive toxicant, says the European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI), the Brussels-based association representing the six major European manufacturers of plasticizers, alcohols and acids. This means that – based on animal experiments – it is a presumed but not proven human reprot oxicant, specifi cally related to male reproduction.
www.compoundingworld.com Producers of DEHP (di-ethyl hexyl phthalate, also
known as DOP, di-octyl phthalate) submitted authoriza- tion dossiers in August 2013. No authorisation has been sought for DIBP (Diisobutyl phthalate) or BBP (Butyl benzyl phthalate), while the authorization sought by one producer of DBP (Di-n-butyl phthalate) does not relate to its use in PVC. REACH is really just the last nail in the coffi n for
LMW plasticizers. For many years, increasingly tough requirements in such applications as automotive instrument panel skins have been forcing the pace of development of high molecular weight alternatives that have few or no restrictions placed on them, as well as plasticizers based on completely different chemistries. Most recently, the “greening” of PVC has given rise to plasticizers based wholly or in part on renewable feedstocks. So already today, the choice of plasticizers available to PVC compounders is considerable, and it continues to grow.
August 2014 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 49
Clean bill of health:
plasticizers
developments are meeting health and
sustainability requirements
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