ADDITIVES | PVC PLASTICISERS
said. “The low molecular weight fast-fusing phthalates have been replaced for most part with phthalate-free dibenzoates.” Frenkel continued: “This substantial re-examina-
tion of the conventional phthalate has also opened the door to bio-based plasticisers produced from renewable feedstocks. Development and market introduction of commercially viable bio-based plasticisers was a response to the market need not just for cost-performance competitive but also more sustainable plasticiser grades of reduced hazard profile compared to the conventional petroleum-based plasticisers.” Wary of exacerbating confusion surrounding use
Experts from Fraunhofer IVV, Dr Martin Schlummer (left) and Dr Andreas Mäurer (right,) are implementing a solvent-based recycling process in industrial plants
Getting plasticisers out with solvent recycling
At K2025, the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV demonstrated how dissolved impurities such as flame retardants, plasticisers, degradation products and odours, can be separated by specific solvents, resulting in high-purity recycled plastic. Solvent-based recycling is a physical process and an effective alternative to chemical recycling because the polymers are not degraded and polymerisation from chemically recycled raw materials is not necessary. A cleaning efficiency of up to 99.8% has been achieved for both highly volatile and medium-volatile contaminants, while a large- scale pilot plant is available at the Fraunhofer IVV to scale up solvent-based recycling to an industrial scale and to produce quantities of recyclate for industrial application tests. Fraunhofer IVV has already successfully implemented the
integration of the recyclates obtained into flexible monomaterial packaging for food on a technical scale and realised a recyclate content of up to 30% in the developed packaging structure. “We also adapt the recycling process specifically to plastic composites,” said Andreas Mäurer, Head of Process Development for Polymer Recycling at Fraunhofer IVV. “This allows us to recycle battery housing from vehicles as well as coated and lacquered textile and plastic materials. We also recycle PVC floor coverings and effec- tively separate the unwanted plasticisers. The recovered PVC material meets the requirements of EU legislation (REACH) and can be used for the production of new PVC flooring.”
Packaging is another target area for the solvent recycling
process. In flexible monomaterial packaging for food recyclate content of up to 30% was incorporated. In personal and healthcare packaging, these recyclates have been used up to a proportion of 62%. In the general non-food sector, up to 100% recyclate content has also been used successfully.
12 COMPOUNDING WORLD | August 2026
of interchangeable terms like ‘phthalate-free’ and ‘non-phthalate,’ an increasing number of compa- nies like Alphagary are providing improved transparency on Technical Data Sheets and Safety Data Sheets around reportable phthalate content so that customers are able to make informed decisions about material choice. Flexible PVC compounds plasticised with DOTP (dioctyl tereph- thalate), adipate, trimellitate, and bio-based citrate rather than restricted phthalates are available from Alphagary under the brand name Mexiflex. The company produces plasticisers at its facility in Altamira, Mexico, where vertical integration allows flexibility within the supply chain. DEHP is still in use in the medical sector in
applications such as flexible PVC tubing where its performance is not replicated in alternatives. This poses challenges for medical device manufacturers deciding whether to apply to continue using DEHP or switch to non-phthalate plasticisers, as described in a recent LinkedIn post by John Zawacki, Senior Director, Strategic Marketing, TekniPlex Healthcare.
Switch from DEHP “The DEHP-to-alternative transition is one of the most consequential material decisions many OEM engineering teams will make in the next three years, and it’s not elective,” he said. “Under REACH Annex XIV (EU Regulation 2023/2482), manufactur- ers must submit DEHP authorisation applications by January 2029, with the sunset date now set for July 2030. That window sounds long until you factor in feasibility testing, extractables/leachables characterisation, biocompatibility re-evaluation, and change-control timelines. What device engineers should also know [is that] TOTM, DINCH, DOA, and ATBC aren’t interchangeable drop-ins. Each produces a meaningfully different compound profile: different durometer response, different low-temperature performance, different migration behaviour, and in some cases, different sterilisation
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