Phthalate plasticisers

Phthalate plasticisers - Vinyl Council Australia

Plasticisers are added to vinyl to make it resilient, soft and flexible. The most commonly used group of compounds for this purpose are phthalates. They are also used in smaller amounts in some non-PVC applications (see below). Phthalates are esthers (compounds) of phthalic acid. They are oily, colourless and odourless liquids. Phthalates have very low volatility, and they do not readily dissolve in water or evaporate. There are about 24 phthalate compounds in use in Australia, in different applications. The most common are: • Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) sometimes known as di-octyl phthalate (DOP) • Di isodecyl phthalate (DIDP) • Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) • Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) • Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) • Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP) • Diethyl Phthalate (DEP)

PVC Uses Non PVC Uses Labels Fragrance bases for perfumery and cosmetic products Coatings Personal care products Flooring Adhesives Automotive parts Paints Cable and wire sheathing/insulation Cellulose acetates Hoses Household cleaning products Gaskets Printing inks Films and sheet Textiles and leather treatments Toys Solvents Carpet backing Polypropylene and fibreglass manufacture Inflatable items

Phthalate plasticisers have been widely used since the 1930s. Typically, a flexible PVC product e.g. cable sheathing or flooring will contain between 20 per cent and 50 per cent plasticiser.

Source: ECPI http://www.ecpi.org/

For more information on phthalates, please visit:

http://www.phthalates.com/