PVC plasticizers | additives feature
Ongoing pressure on phthalates is driving interest in alternative plasticizer options, with bio-based products joining a growing range of phthalate-free options. Chris Smith reports
The search for soft options
There is no doubt that phthalate-based plasticizers are under intense pressure. Several of the commonly used lower molecular weight plasticizers, including DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIDP, have been included on the European Union’s REACH authorisation list, which means they will be restricted to certain authorised uses beyond February 2015. And while higher molecular weight plasticizers, including DINP, DIDP and DPHP, are not considered to be substances of very high concern – they were not placed on the REACH “Candi- date List” – precautionary restrictions on the use of DIDP and DINP in toys and childcare articles that can be placed in the mouth and some food contact applications do little to convince consumers of their safety. Around 6 million tonnes of plasticizers are produced
globally each year, according to data from the industry trade association European Council for Plasticizers and Intermediates (ECPI), and the majority of this produc- tion is phthalates. ECPI also says phthalate plasticizers are among the most intensively tested and scrutinised of all chemicals in use today. While risk assessments have categorised low
molecular weight phthalates as Category 1B Reproduc- tive agents, one reason for their inclusion in the REACH Candidate List, the higher molecular weight types give little cause for concern among the scientists advising global regulators. Even so, media campaigns against phthalates continue and political decisions rarely favour their producers. Denmark, for instance, acted outside of the EU
www.compoundingworld.com August 2012 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 27
REACH process with its proposals last year to ban the use of DEHP, DBP, BBP and DIBP in consumer products intended for indoor use or that come into contact with skin. In July this year, the Committee for Risk Assess- ment within the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) ended a six-month review by ruling that the proposals were not justified, sending the Danish decision into yet another period of consultation. Against such a background, it is little surprise that many end-users are looking for alternatives to phtha- late-based plasticizers. The past few years have seen a number of new introductions and non-phthalate capacity expansions, with the most recent focusing on bio-based and renewably-sourced production feedstocks that promise a more favourable environmental footprint.
The medical
sector is a key application market for BASF’s
Hexamoll DINCH
plasticizer
s
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