China’s plasticizer market is facing environmental protection pressures
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Plasticizers are one of the plastic additives with the highest global production and consumption. In recent years, our country has become the region in Asia with the highest production and consumption of plasticizers. As environmental awareness grows around the world, plastic products such as those used in pharmaceutical and food packaging, household items, and toys require higher purity and better hygiene standards for primary plasticizers like DOP. However, the primary plasticizers produced by domestic companies fail to meet these environmental requirements in many aspects, particularly in terms of hygiene and low toxicity. The EU and Russia have successively found toxic polyvinyl chloride plasticizers—diisononyl phthalate (DINP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP, also known as Dop)—in some plastic toys imported from China. For a long time, plasticizers have mainly been phthalate-based products; however, as DOP is increasingly used in the food and pharmaceutical industries, more attention is being paid to its toxicity. It has been found that when blood stored in polyvinyl chloride plastic bags is infused into the human body, DOP products are detected in the lungs. In 1982, the authoritative American **National Cancer Institute conducted a biological assessment of the carcinogenicity of DOP, concluding that DOP is a carcinogen in rats and mice, and that it can cause cancer in the livers of these rodents. Thus, the toxicity of DOP has attracted global attention. Although there is still debate regarding whether it can cause cancer, countries have taken corresponding measures due to its potential carcinogenic risks. Based on the research findings of the Cancer Institute, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has halted the production of six new phthalate types; DOP is permitted only for use in food packaging with high water content, while meat packaging must use other non-toxic plasticizer products as substitutes. Based on research findings and established standards in countries such as Europe, the United States, Japan, and South Korea, DOP (DEHP) is more harmful than DOA (DEHA). As specified by the European Food Safety Authority EFSA, a DEHA concentration in the human body of 0.3 mg/kg or higher is considered unsafe, while a DEHP concentration of 0.05 mg/kg or higher is also deemed unsafe. DOA and Dop are currently the plasticizers widely used in China’s polyvinyl chloride food preservation films. Special DOP is the most widely used type of plasticizer, and it is extensively employed in food packaging products. Among the ten primary plasticizers permitted for use in PVC food wrap in our country, the first one is dioctyl adipate (i.e., DEHA, also referred to as DOA). The next three are phthalates: DBP, Dop, and DIOP. All of these have relatively higher toxicity levels than DEHA. Due to the higher production cost of DOA, the majority of domestic PVC food wrap manufacturers use Dop and DBP as primary plasticizers. Food wrap produced in this way, especially when used for meat products with high fat content or when used to wrap food for heating in a microwave oven, has a greater likelihood of plasticizer migration into the wrapped food, posing potential risks to human health. However, it is relatively safer when used on vegetables, especially those that need to be washed before consumption or before being used in food preparation. Given the potential carcinogenic risk associated with Dop, international efforts have been initiated to take corresponding measures to restrict its use. The United States has stopped industrial production of six types of phthalates; Switzerland has **decided to ban the use of DOP in children’s toys**; Germany has prohibited the use of DOP in all plastic products related to human health and food safety; in Japan, DOP is used only as a plastic additive in industrial plastic products. Currently, the world has accelerated research and development efforts on non-toxic plasticizers, particularly in the basic application research for plastic products with high hygiene requirements. In our country, plasticizers such as DOP, which have been phased out abroad, still enjoy a strong market demand, and plasticizer manufacturers do not pay sufficient attention to the development and promotion of new, non-toxic plasticizers. In the domestic market, 80% of plasticizers are DOPO, DBP (dibutyl phthalate), etc., and low cost is the most crucial factor. **The standard \"Hygienic Standards for the Use of Additives in Food Containers and Packaging Materials\" also lists DOP as one of the plasticizers that can be used in food packaging. The latest test results from Tongji University show that when cooking oil is stored in plastic containers, plasticizers harmful to human health can dissolve into the oil. The research team led by Professor Li Shuguang from the School of Basic Medicine at Tongji University collected test samples including plastic-barrel-packed soybean salad oil, blended oil, and peanut oil of various brands and production dates available on the market, as well as bulk soybean oil sold in stores, solid shortening used for frying foods in a certain fast-food restaurant, and condensate oil collected from kitchen exhaust fans. After testing these samples, the research team found that almost all brands of plastic-bottled edible oil contained \"dibutyl phthalate (DBP)\\" and \"dioctyl phthalate (DOP)\\" – two types of phthalate plasticizers that are commonly used in the plastics industry. In contrast, bulk soybean oil and solid shortening packaged in non-plastic containers contained hardly any plasticizers. It is inferred that the plasticizers detected in edible oils mainly originate from their plastic containers. At present, the oil used by millions of families in our country for their three meals a day is mostly packaged edible oil in plastic containers purchased from the market. However, currently **plasticizers are not included in the physical and chemical parameters for the testing of edible oils in the standards, nor are there any regulations or requirements regarding their content. Due to the lagging of relevant standards in our country, this is actually just the tip of the iceberg regarding plasticizer pollution. Plasticizers are used on such a wide scale, cause pollution over such a large area, and affect so many people that their impact is even greater than that of pesticides, DDT, and similar substances
Environmental pressures are also a trend; it’s better to take action early rather than delay. Remember the sea level effect
The last edit to this post was made by 68LONG on April 15, 2015, at 17:36. The “2015 (2nd) Longzhong Plasticizer Industry Chain Conference (Butyl Alcohol, Phthalic Anhydride, Plasticizers and Downstream Applications)”, carefully organized by Longzhong, will be held in Nanjing from April 22 to 24. This conference aims to bring together industry experts from the butyl acetate, phthalic anhydride, and plasticizers supply chains, creating a platform for manufacturers, traders, and end-users to communicate and discuss business opportunities. Industry experts and experienced professionals have been invited to analyze the market situation, predict future supply and demand trends, and provide up-to-date information on industry developments! Contact if interested
In any case, environmental protection is the top priority.
It’s booming abroad, but it seems quite calm back home. The public's environmental awareness has not truly improved, **and the policies are somewhat unclear or outdated. Manufacturing enterprises face numerous difficulties in shifting to new production areas, while end-users lack the necessary technology and funding, and are under heavy competitive pressure.
It still needs to be taken seriously! The earlier you start, the sooner you’ll see benefits!
The wastewater and waste gas generated by the esterification process should be relatively easy to treat, and the main processing itself is not difficult either; it’s possible to make this process environmentally friendly, as long as the necessary investment is made.
Introduction to Chloromethyl Esters I. Molecular formula: C20H37Cl3O3; Molecular weight: 431 II. Technical specifications: Quality grade: Grade 1, Grade 2 Appearance: Brownish-yellow transparent oily liquid; Brownish-yellow transparent oily liquid Density (at 20°C): 1.05–1.08; 1.15–1.17 Flash point (°C) ≥ 185–190; 200 Loss on heating (%) ≤ 0.4; 0.4 Ester content ≥ 99%; 99% Freezing point (°C): –20; –30 Chlorine content ≥ 26%; 22%–24% Color value ≤ 180 (APHA); 180 (APHA) Viscosity: 1.8 *10³ m2/S; 2.5 *10³ m2/S III. Product overview: Plasticizers are essential auxiliary materials used in the production of plastic products. Phthalate plasticizers (such as DOP) are currently widely used. Due to their aromatic rings, they are not easily biodegradable; they are non-renewable petrochemical products, and they may also be carcinogenic. In particular, in the European Union, their use and application scope are heavily restricted, which has a significant impact on the export of products from our country. Under the general trend of low carbon and environmental protection, it has become inevitable to use natural renewable resources to produce environmentally friendly plastic plasticizers. As a new type of environmentally friendly plasticizer, chlorinated fatty acid methyl ester products are derived from natural oils; they contain no harmful metals or phthalate compounds. They represent a cost-effective alternative to DOP-based plasticizers and meet the export requirements of the European Union. Methyl chlorofatty acid ester, as a plasticizer, is in line with the current global trend toward environmental protection and international environmental standards. A new generation of chlorinated fatty acid ester plasticizers, which are products with high molecular weights obtained through an esterification reaction between natural oils and alcohols, followed by a chlorination reaction. They serve as alternatives to the mainstream environmentally friendly biological plasticizers available on the market today. These plasticizers have good solubility in PVC and offer excellent plasticizing effects; they are flame-retardant, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly composite plasticizers. They are particularly suitable for use in export products, as well as in industries such as PVC flame-retardant conveyor belts, cable materials, PVC rain boots, PVC hoses, automotive interior leather, synthetic leather, and sealing strips. It can completely replace chlorinated paraffins 42# and 52#, as well as dioctyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate. It is colorless and odorless, does not emit oil, and has stable quality. It can replace 30–40% of DOP in PVC hoses, and up to 50% of DOP in products such as floor mats. At present, this product has been widely used in Weifang and Qingdao in Shandong Province, Wuxi in Jiangsu Province, and other places. Due to its ester structure and the absence of harmful metals and phthalates, this product can replace tributyl citrate (TBC) as an environmentally friendly plasticizer, as well as DOP and DBP. It also contains chlorine, **which improves the flame-retardant and electrical insulation properties of the product. It is an ideal new type of environmentally friendly composite plasticizer. IV. Advantages of the product: 1. Environmentally friendly – it does not contain any harmful phthalate substances. Made from plant oils, it complies with the EU REACH regulations. It can be widely used in mid-to-high-end PVC products, such as foamed PVC synthetic leather, clothing leather, packaging materials, children’s toys, home decoration materials, agricultural nozzles, fire hoses, gloves, PVC soft products, as well as transparent bottles and boxes. 2. It contains the halogen chlorine, offering good flame-retardant properties and excellent resistance to precipitation; a large amount of it can be added to the formulation. 3. The product has a high volume resistivity, which is one order of magnitude higher than that of ordinary plasticizers. 4. It can increase the tensile strength of the product. 5. It offers excellent plasticizing effects, good compatibility with other ingredients, and strong bonding to PVC resin molecules, thereby enhancing the flexibility of the products. 6. It possesses a certain degree of stability, which allows for reduced usage of stabilizers and thus lowers production costs. V. Applications: Years of experience in the plastics industry have shown that this product features high plasticization efficiency, good compatibility, a high safety factor, and excellent flexibility in the resulting products. Widely used in various plastic films, wires, cable granulation, etc ； Gas pipes, rubber and plastic strips, heat-shrink sleeves, foam sheets, pipes, Teslin ； Unfilled calendered films, printed films, and the artificial leather industry. It is used in PVC cable materials, PVC transparent materials, PVC profiles, polyurethane, seals for doors, windows, and car windows, various films, flexible and rigid pipes, plastic sandals, foam sandals, soft boards, coatings, adhesives, bonding agents, decorative materials, foamed rigid boards, and all other products that utilize plasticizers; it can help companies reduce their production costs by more than 30%. VI. Production Process: The new type of plastic plasticizer, chloromethyl ester, is a methyl ester of chlorinated fatty acids produced by reacting vegetable oil and chlorine as primary raw materials in the presence of a catalyst. The production technology utilizes the most advanced process equipment available in China, resulting in products with good color, low acidity, high production capacity, and low energy consumption ； The entire production process is carried out using DCS for continuous manufacturing; aside from the by-product salt acid, no other waste materials are generated, making it a clean production method. This environmentally friendly plasticizer is easy to produce on a large scale, and it is suitable for chlor-alkali companies or those that currently produce chlorinated paraffins to carry out upgrades. A few companies in China are already producing it; those interested can get in touch to discuss further.
I don’t know how to learn Chinese either The post is clearly about food safety issues, so why has the reply turned into a discussion on environmental protection?
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Our company has already begun building the production line for environmentally friendly plasticizers; the plasticizer hydrogenation project will come online next year. With its forward-thinking approach, the company has anticipated the introduction of environmental protection policies in China and is thus at the forefront in this area!