Phthalates in Australia
Phthalates in Australia - Vinyl Council Australia
| In 2006, the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) declared nine phthalates as Priority Existing Chemicals for risk assessment with a specific focus on sensitive end uses: toys, childcare articles and cosmetics. NICNAS is the Australian government regulator for industrial chemicals. As the first part of this process, in June 2008 NICNAS released the Phthalates Hazard Compendium, containing information on the physicochemical properties of 24 phthalate esters that are currently or likely to be used in Australia. It identifies human health hazards that, from scientific literature, have been associated with these phthalates and provides a comparative analysis of key toxicity endpoints for them. Some of the key findings noted in the Compendium are: • The majority of phthalates are regarded as possessing low genotoxic potential, although data is lacking for five lower molecular weight phthalates. • Certain impacts in rodents, such as peroxisome proliferative effects (which induce liver tumours) are unlikely to be a toxicological effect that is relevant for humans. • Male reproductive toxicity is mainly associated with phthalates where the backbone is 4-6 carbon atoms (C4-6) in length and not with phthalates with shorter or longer chains. • Within the transitional phthalate group (C4-6), there appears to be species differences with respect to sensitivity to testicular toxicity. • Overall, the phthalates can be regarded as possessing low irritant and skin sensitisation potential. The Vinyl Council sent submissions to NICNAS during the compilation of the Compendium. View the Phthalates Hazard Compendium: |
| http://www.nicnas.gov.au/Publications/CAR/Other/Phthalate%20Hazard%20Compendium.pdf |
| The Compendium is focused on hazard identification from literature sources. In order to consider the potential risk from exposures to phthalates, NICNAS will be releasing risk assessments on nine phthalates that have been identified in actual or potential sensitive end-uses: children’s toys, childcare articles, and/or cosmetics in Australia. It has also been asked to assess the risk of phthalate plasticised medical devices by the Australian Government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, which oversees medical device and pharmaceutical safety. The Australian PVC industry, through its Product Stewardship Program (PSP), is committed to sharing all relevant information with NICNAS. Under the PSP, relevant Signatories are committed to the adoption of the PVC industry’s Policy for the Use of Plasticisers in PVC Products in Australia. The Policy Policy for the use of Plasticisers in PVC Products includes a commitment to cease the use of a phthalate plasticiser where available evidence shows it to have unacceptable health or environmental impacts. In Australia, DEHP continues to be used in some applications. In January 2010 a proposed ban on products that contain more than 1% of the chemical diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was announced by the Australian Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs (ACCC), the Hon. Craig Emerson. Major PVC applications such as floor-coverings and cable sheathing have moved away from DEHP to alternative phthalate plasticisers such as DINP and DIDP both of which were found safe for use in the EU risk assessments. The Vinyl Council continues to survey Australian and international scientific and regulatory developments concerning phthalate use. |
