The Future Of Stabiliser Use In PVC Products

There is much confusion about the future of stabiliser use in PVC products. When and why is Lead being phased out? What is the potential legislative impact on Tin? Why is Calcium Organic the environmental choice? Which product should you be committing to today to help safeguard your specification for the future?

What Is The Role Of A Stabiliser?

The stabiliser is used to inhibit the reaction in plastics which cause undesirable chemical degradation in exposure to ultraviolet light. The use of Calcium Organic as a stabiliser system has been common in PVC applications for over 25 years.

Basic Information: PVC

• 57% salt; 43% from hydrocarbon feedstocks.
• Like flour without baking, it is useless without additives.
• Great molecule to bond additives with process aids, lubricants, pigments, impact modifiers - Blowing agents.
• Stabilisers protect the polymer during processing.

Types Of Stabilisers

• Lead: One of the most researched and understood metals of all in the periodic table, Lead will be withdrawn progressively under the Vinyl 2010 commitment with a 50% reduction by 2010. It will be phased out completely by 2015. Under REACH, Lead has already been categorised as CMR category 2.
• Tin: There are a number of different classes of tin stabilisers. One of the more common types are the Di butyl Tin compounds. These stabilisers are currently used by some manufactures in PVCUE. Di butyl Tin compounds have also been evaluated under REACH and have been categorised CMR category 2.
• Calcium organic: Calcium organic has none of these issues and is regarded as the safest and most sustainable stabiliser.

What Are The Consequences Of Stabilisers Falling Under CMR Category 2?

They will be placed on the authorisation list. If authorisation is granted, it is likely to be subject to periodic review. If authorisation is not granted a sunset date will be set for their prohibition they will require authorisation for each use.

For chemicals placed on the authorisation list the process to allow a single use is highly complicated and expensive and, as stated by the HSE, extremely unlikely to be grantedConsumer information must be provided on the relevant chemical used in an application.Post consumer waste that has been made with CMR Category 2 chemicals (Lead & Di butyl Tin) may also fall under the scope of REACH resulting in some practical difficulties for the recycling industry. A solution to this potential conflict between REACH and the need to recycle waste is currently the subject of discussion between industry and the regulatory bodies.

Kestrel was the first foam profile manufacturer to switch to calcium organic stabilisers in 2002, and is the only major supplier whose products are completely stabilised with calcium organic stabilisers in both the skin and core.

New BRE Green Guide Finally Proves PVC Is The Environmentally Responsible Choice

The 2008 Green Guide to Specification from the BRE Building Research Establishment) has finally recognised the sustainable benefits of PVC by awarding PVC-UE cladding and its installed components an A+ rating - the highest possible for any material.

This independent assessment endorses the PVC-U building material industry's long running campaign that our products help specifiers achieve the highest levels under the Code for Sustainable Homes.

The guide published in June evaluates the performance of materials and building materials in all the main building elements against 13 specific environmental impacts including climate change, human toxicity, ecotoxicity, waste disposal and fossil fuel depletion. Performance is then ranked on an A+ to E scale, helping specifiers select building elements which minimise environmental impacts. As the market leader in the manufacture of PVC-UE building materials, Kestrel is delighted that the critical role our products can play in the drive for sustainability and reduced carbon emissions has finally been officially recognised.

A long term spokesperson in the fight to dispel myths about PVC-U's environmental credentials, Kestrel has been working on future proofing our products in terms of sustainability for several years now in line with Recovinyl www.recovinyl.com and Vinyl 2010 www.vinyl2010.org

Eliminating lead content and switching 100% to calcium organic was the first step. We believe we have gone one step further and uniquely, offer the only product that has both a calcium organic core and calcium organic skin surface. All products are manufactured within an ISO9000 quality management system and during the last 5 years we have invested more than £10 million in new manufacturing technology and equipment. We are determined to maintain our market leading position through ongoing product development and research and have implemented an environmental management system which satisfies the requirements of BS EN ISO 14001:2004.

Please click on the video below to see Dr Patrick Moore, founding member of Green Peace talking about the benefits of vinyl products: