Rubber chemical listed in EU toxic waste regulation

Brussels – The Council of the EU, which comprises government ministers from each country in the bloc, has formally adopted a regulation placing new restrictions of certain ‘forever chemicals’ found in waste products.

Included on the list are short-chain chlorinated paraffin (SCCP) found in rubber products, such as conveyor belts, hoses, cables and seals.

The flame retardant SCCP additives have been set a limit value of 1500mg/kg under the new EU regulation, intended to limit levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in waste.

While these chemicals “may no longer be used in new products, they can still be found in waste coming from some consumer products such as waterproof textiles, furniture, plastics, and electronic equipment,” said the Council.

Within a circular economy, where waste will be increasingly used as a secondary raw material, establishing new limits to the presence of POPs in waste is essential, added the 24 Oct announcement.

“This is an important step to protect our citizens and the environment. Many of these substances have brought us benefits in the past, but we were not paying enough attention to how harmful can they be,” said Anna Hubá?ková, Czech minister of environment.