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European Commission announces ban on cadmium in plastics

(07.06.2011)


Background:
Cadmium has been prohibited in the EU in a number of plastic articles since 1992, but was still allowed in some rigid PVC as at that time alternatives were not available on the market. PVC is used in a number of packaging applications such as closures for bottles, pallets, shrink sleeves for bottles, tamper-evident bands and stretch wrap films. Since alternatives became available, the European PVC industry decided to phase out cadmium from all PVC as part of its Vinyl 2010 programme.

New legislation:
The new legislation prohibits cadmium in all plastic products while encouraging the recovery of PVC waste for use in construction products. The Commission says that cadmium is a carcinogenic to which consumers, including children, risk exposure through skin contact or through licking.
Since cadmium is also toxic for the aquatic environment, the ban will protect consumers as well as reduce environmental pollution. The ban will be adopted as an amendment under REACH listed in Annex XVII of the Reach Regulation.

According to the Commission, the ban on cadmium in plastics will have also benefits for industry, encouraging  more PVC recovery and recycling.

“As PVC is a valuable material that can be recovered a number of times, the new legislation allows the re-use of recovered PVC containing low levels of cadmium in a limited number of construction products, without danger for the public or environment,” the commission said in a statement.

The ban also includes the inclusion of cadmium in jewellery and brazing sticks, which are used to join together dissimilar materials, but will not apply to the photovoltaics (PV) industry, the environmental committee of the European parliament has said.

For more on the cadmium ban coming in November under REACH regulation, review the European Commission’s press release.


Related EVISA Resources

Link database: Cadmium toxicity
Link database:  Industrial use of cadmium
Brief summary: REACH


Related News:

December 1, 2010: ECHA reports the final REACH registration numbers - Nearly 25,000 dossiers
September 25, 2010: The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) calls for comments on reports proposing restrictions on mercury and phenylmercury
June 22, 2010: Eight New Chemicals for REACH Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern
March 10, 2010: ECHA suggests further chemicals for SVHC list
October 9, 2009: REACH: Substances of very high concern


last time modified: May 17, 2024



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