EUROPEAN STABILISERS

ESPA (2002) Use, exposure and loss data for the use of mono/di- tin compounds as PVC stabilisers. Communication from the European Stabilisers Producers Association, received 25 February. 

Additives used in the production of PVC are discussed with reference to the increasing pressure from environmental campaigners. In particular heat stabilisers and plasticisers are examined with data from the European Stabiliser Producers Association regarding market trends, materials substitution, and toxicity issues. 

For general background information, on the regulatory situation up to 1999, refer to the regulatory update (331). The main source of information is the website of the European Stabiliser Producers Association (ESPA) (www.stabilisers.org). 

VINNOLIT KUNSTSTOFF EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF VINYL MANUFACTURERS EUROPEAN COUNCIL FOR PLASTICISERS INTERMEDIATES EUROPEAN STABILISERS PRODUCERS ASSN. EUROPEAN PLASTICS CONVERTERS ASSN. EVC SOLVAY LINDE AG TECNOMETAL VULCAFLEX KOBE STEEL PROGNOS PRINCIPIA PARTNERS VINYL INSTITUTE MIKRON INDUSTRIES VEKA AG SOLVIN DECEUNINCK MARLEY FLOORS LTD. 

Members of the European Stabiliser Producers Association (ESPA) have made a voluntary commitment to phase out all lead stabilisers in Europe by 2015. Since lead is the commonest type in use today, this is a considerable commitment. There is expected to be a 50% reduction in lead stabiliser usage between 2001 and 2010. It is possible that individual national regulatory authorities will press for a more rapid elimination of lead from specific end products. Cadmium was phased out some time ago. 

Not all countries will abandon lead within the same time schedule as Europe. Almost half of China s stabiliser consumption was lead-based in 2002, and this is not expected to change very rapidly. Chemson, the leading European stabiliser manufacturer, entered into partnership with Dalian Shide, the biggest PVC company in China, in 2001 to build a plant that produces both lead and calcium-zinc stabilisers. However, China is importing some tin and calcium-zinc types. 

ETICA (2002) Organotin compounds used as catalysts. Communication from the European Tin Catalysts Asseciatien, a subgreup ef the Eurepean Stabilisers Preducers Asseciatien, received 18 February. 

Yoder R (2003) Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometer study ofdioctyitin compounds in solution. Report provided to Risk Policy Analysts Ltd by the European Tin Stabilisers Association, May. 

As member states of the European Union have been releasing new regulations to protect the environment by reducing pollutant emissions, the heating equipment industry as well as their customers is well aware of the need for a new sensor-con-trolled burner concept. The answer is continuous innovation in small burner technology. Burners with radiant surfaces, for example, reduce temperatures in the reaction zone of the flame, which in turn, reduces NOx emissions. Most modern furnaces use fully premixed burners. The stabilisation of the flame becomes more difficult, because a rise of the fluid flow yields a decrease of the burning velocity. 

It is briefly reported that the European Commission will issue a White Paper on PVC within the next couple of months. The Paper will probably be a mix of both legislation and voluntary commitments. A Green Paper on PVC was adopted by the EC in July 2000. This raised six issues to be addressed substitution, production process, cadmium stabilisers, lead stabilisers, phthalates and waste management. 

The European Parliament has set out where it believes EC policy should focus in tackling the environmental and health problems posed by PVC. In a resolution adopted in April, it called for a phase-out of lead and cadmium stabilisers, legislation to ensure the separate collection of discarded PVC products, and a complex strategy for substitution of PVC based on life-cycle comparisons with competing products. 

Powell, M.R. (2003). Treatment of wood with Royale stabilising oil. In Proceedings of the First European Conference on Wood Modification, Gent, Belgium, Van Acker, J. and HUl, C.A.S. (Eds.), pp. 15-22. 

An overview is presented on current stabilisers for cables, foamed sheets and profdes, PVC pipes and fittings and profiles, which shows that lead is the most used stabiliser but, like tin, is under pressure in some European countries. Stabiliser systems based on calcium and zinc are considered to be the stabiliser systems of the future. 

This presentation covers various aspects relating to stabilisers. These include the structure and mission of the ESPA, the EC Green Paper on stabilisers published on 27th July 2000 and the resolution of the EU Parliament relating to lead and cadmium stabilisers adopted on 3rd April 2001, current EU legislative status of cadmium and lead, key milestones of the PVC Industry Voluntary Commitment relating to stabilisers, scenario of lead replacement in Western Europe, alternatives to lead, plastics additives with approval for direct food contact, tin stabilisers for PVC and issues concerning zinc. EUROPEAN COMMISSION... 

Recent developments in calcium/zinc stabiliser systems used in plasticised PVC are discussed. Here, the term plasticised PVC (PVC-P) represents calendered film, calendered flooring, spread-coated flooring and the various plastisol product areas. Emphasis is placed on the European Market as it is here that the need for new... 

The analysis of plastics for hazardous metals e.g. Cd, Pb, Cr(total) and Hg is now essential on all products including plastics used in electric and electronic equipment sold within the European states. Directives for these products have been issued under Packaging Directive , End of Life Vehicle (ELV), Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), and have been introduced to control the risk to health and waste disposal in the environment. The listed metals have been used extensively in the past as pigments, stabilisers and catalysts, especially PVC, and these toxic elements can be released over time into the environment. Therefore, polymer producers are advised that future products be lower than EU values or free of these metals. 

Notwithstanding all the difficulties and imperfections, the introduction of the EU ETS in Germany remains a success story. In a very short period of time, the system for a very large number of plants was implemented, and an allocation system established that offers sufficient prerequisites for improvement and further development. The utilisation of the specified potentials, options and opportunities form the central challenges for the next steps towards stabilisation and establishment of the EU ETS in Germany and within the European Union. 

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