Industry “regrets” latest EU siloxanes-restriction move

Brussels – On 16 March, the Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) adopted its opinion on European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) proposals to impose restrictions on the placement of D4, D5, and D6 siloxanes* on the market.

The restrictions cover “supply as substances, as constituents of other substances, or in mixtures in a concentration equal to or greater than 0.1 % weight by weight of each substance.” 

The measure applies to leave-on personal care products and other consumer/professional products containing D4, D5, and D6, as well as for wash-off and rinse-off cosmetic products containing D6.

The silicone industry regrets this new ECHA restriction proposal, Pierre Germain, secretary general of industry group Silicones Europe said about SEAC’s final opinion.

“We consider this new restriction to be unjustified, because it is not based on most recent scientific evidence and it will provide negligible environmental benefit,” stated Germain. 

In particular, he pointed out that the socio-economic calculations in the restriction were based solely on cosmetic replacements.

This, said Germain, “is not an appropriate benchmark for some highly regulated and high value applications also included in the new proposal.”

Silicones Europe has previously argued that, no regulatory authority outside of the EU has imposed such restrictions on the use of these substances, which help to reduce CO2 emissions in areas such as construction and power-generation.

*D4 (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane), D5 (decamethylcyclopentasiloxane) and D6 (dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane) are used as chemical intermediates in the production of a wide range of silicone materials.