MATERIALS | TITANIUM DIOXIDE
ECJ rules on TiO2 regulation
The European Court of Justice has ruled to annul parts of the European Commission’s Delegated Regulation 2020/217 covering harmonised classification and labelling of TiO2 as a carcinogenic substance by inhalation. In its judgement, the court ruled that the requirement under existing EU law to base the
classification of a carcinogenic substance on reliable and acceptable studies was not satisfied. It also ruled the Regulation infringed the criteria that classification of a substance as a
carcinogen can only apply to a substance that has the intrinsic property of causing cancer. Manufacturers of TiO2 pigments have supported the annulment. Slovenia-based Cinkarna said it was “satisfied” with the ruling, while LB Group said it “welcomes the outcome”.
Above: The European Court of Justice has annulled certain rules that labelled
TiO2 as a carcinogenic substance by inhalation
“The additional capacity strengthens our global competitiveness and allows us to increase our chloride and sulphate TiO2 pigment portfolio to manufacture more high-performance TiO2 pigments for a wider range of applications including growing our portfolio for plastics applications,” she added.
Reflective mood Venator demonstrated a number of pigments for the plastics industry at K2022 that have solar reflective capabilities. Its solar reflective pigments include its Altiris
range of titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigments, which improve the durability of plastics and prevent warping and discoloration caused by the sun. Specific products include Altiris W400 – a near
infrared-reflecting pigment that can improve the thermal stability and durability of white, bright, and light-coloured plastics used in exterior applications such as window and door profiles, sidings, decking, soffits and fascias. Venator also offers Altiris 550 and 800, for mid to dark-coloured plastics. “Plastics producers need to think seriously about
integrating solar reflective pigments into their formulations as standard,” said Jörg Hocken, global application manager at Venator. “As we all make changes to help combat rising global tempera- tures, this decision could make a huge difference to the longevity of plastic products used across an array of applications.” Also at K2022, Venator showed its Deltio 48X pigment – a free-flowing titanium dioxide pigment that is aimed at masterbatch producers and compounders who want to improve material flow through their systems and minimise the risk of costly blockages.
22 PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | January/February 2023 Tioxide TR48 pigment is a TiO2 grade with
excellent coloristic properties that is easy to disperse and integrate into polyolefin masterbatch- es, while Tioxide TR42 is a blue-tone white pigment that is easily integrated into rigid PVC and other materials.
Circular concerns As with many other parts of the plastics industry, circularity is a concern. In response, TiO2 producer Chemours Titanium Technologies is leading an initiative called Remove2Reclaim. This aims to develop an efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable process for recovering TiO2 – as well as other additives and polymers – from end-of-life plastic products, such as those found in post-consumer plastic waste. “The goal is to create a new recycling strategy
that could enable reclaimed TiO2 and polymers to be returned to high-value applications, contribut- ing to the circular economy,” said Cherie Stancik, product development manager for the plastics segment at Chemours. In the project’s first year, research partners have developed a sorting mechanism to effectively identify plastic wastes that contain TiO2 and determined solvent-based extraction techniques to remove it from different polymer matrices. Other project milestones include developing methods and equipment to detect TiO2 in specific polymer matrices, recovering TiO2 from the polymer by dissolution, and eventually reusing the TiO2 and polymer in new products. Other partners include Ineos Styrolution, Deceuninck, Matco Plastics, Vito, Ghent University, and KU Leuven.
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IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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