Phthalates are the most common plasticizers in the plastics industry, primarily used as plasticizers in PVC products. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors and are bioaccumulative; long-term accumulation in the body can interfere with the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems, harming health. Therefore, the EU, the US, Japan, and Taiwan have successively listed these substances as controlled toxic substances.
The EU REACH regulation published a candidate list of SVHCs last year, which includes three plasticizers: DEHP, DBP, and BBP. If a finished product uses a substance from the SVHC candidate list published by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the immediate obligations of the manufacturer or importer located in the EU include:
1. If the concentration in the finished product is > 0.1%, the supplier must proactively inform the supplier of the name of the substance used and safety information for its use;
2. Effective June 1, 2011, if the concentration in the finished product is > 0.1% and the annual weight is > 1 ton, a notification must be made to the European Chemicals Agency.
In addition, international regulations currently specify permissible limits for phthalates in children's toys and childcare products. The following is a summary of the EU REACH regulation and the US CPSIA regulations regarding plasticizer content in children's toys and childcare products:
| Country | Regulations | scope | Recommended permissible concentration range |
| EU | REACH Annex 17 | Toys and childcare products | Plastic toys and childcare products: DEHP + DBP + BBP ≤ 0.1% (w/w) (total) |
| Plastic toys and childcare products that can be put in a child's mouth: DINP + DIDP + DNOP ≤ 0.1 % (w/w) (total) |
| USA | Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act | Toys and childcare products | Permanently Prohibited:Children's toys and childcare products: DEHP, DBP, BBP ≤ 0.1% (w/w) (for individual components) |
| Temporary Ban: All children's toys and childcare products that can be put in the mouth: DINP, DIDP, DNOP ≤ 0.1% (w/w) (for individual components). |
| California AB 1108 | Toys and childcare products | All toys and childcare products: DEHP + DBP + BBP ≤ 0.1% (w/w) (total) |
| All children's toys and childcare products that can be put in the mouth: DINP + DIDP + DNOP ≤ 0.1 % (w/w) (total) |
| | EU | USA |
| Definition of "Toy" | Toys designed for children under 14 years of age | The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) defines toys as "consumer products designed specifically for children under the age of 12." California's AB 1108 law provides a stricter definition of toys, classifying all items intended for play with children of any age as toys. |
| Definition of "Childcare Article" | This refers to consumer products designed by manufacturers specifically to help children fall asleep or eat, or to assist children in eating or teething; such as cribs, sleeping bags, etc. | This refers to consumer products designed by manufacturers specifically to help children aged 3 or under fall asleep or eat, or to assist children in eating or teething; such as pacifiers, crib sheets, and mattresses. |
Currently available alternatives to plasticizers include:
– Citrates
– DINCH(Di-(isononyl)-cyclohexan-1,2-dicarboxylate)
– Adipates
– Phosphates
– Reference source: SGS Newsletter, 2009-11-23
– Translated by Plastic Industry Technology Development Center
-For reference only, please refer to the original text.
