Chemicals of concern in plastics

Plastics contain a range of different chemicals. These chemicals are added to change and improve the performance of the plastics. Some chemicals make plastic more flexible, some make them more resistant to heat and sunlight, and some are for colouring. It is estimated that by 2050, 2 billion tonnes of chemical additives will have been used in plastic.

While many of the chemicals that are added to plastics are useful and safe, some are chemicals of concern. These chemicals have concerning properties—for example, some do not easily break down and last for a long time in the environment, some are toxic, and some can build up to high levels in animals. Chemicals of concern are released into the environment over time from plastics. This can happen during manufacture, during use, or when the product becomes waste.

The following is a shortlist of chemicals of concern used in some plastics. These chemicals were short-listed based on information currently published in Australian risk assessments and global lists of high-concern chemicals. This list is intended for use by importers, exporters, manufacturers and retailers of plastic products, to inform environmentally sound product choices and contribute to global phase-out efforts.

Careful management of these chemicals, including by phasing them out of plastics, will help to reduce the load of chemicals of concern entering the environment.

The chemicals listed in Table 1 will be prioritised for future regulatory controls under the new Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard (IChEMS).

Table 1. Chemicals of concern used as additives in plastics
Abbreviation Common name CAS Registry Number Reason for inclusion on the list Used in Concentration Function

DEHP

Diethylhexyl phthalate

117-81-7

PVC

300 g/kg plastic

Plasticiser

DBP

Dibutyl phthalate

84-74-2

PVC

300 g/kg plastic

Plasticiser

BPA

Bisphenol A

80-05-7

PVC

1 g/kg plastic

Antioxidant

4NP

Nonylphenol

84852-15-3

PS

PVC

0.9 – 1.8 g/kg plastic

2.6 – 4.2 g/kg plastic

Antioxidant

NP

Nonylphenol

25154-52-3

PS

PVC

0.9 – 1.8 g/kg plastic

2.6 – 4.2 g/kg plastic

Antioxidant

HBCD

Hexabromocyclododecane

3194-55-6
  • Stockholm Convention chemical
  • SIN listed1

Nylon

PS

ABS/SAN/ASA

PP

-

5 – 30 g/kg plastic

-

-

Flame retardant

decaBDE

Decabromodiphenyl ether

1163-19-5
  • Stockholm Convention chemical
  • SVHC listed2
  • SIN listed1

ABS/SAN/ASA

Nylon

85 – 140 g/kg plastic

85 – 140 g/kg plastic

Flame retardant

Dechlorane Plus

Dechlorane Plus

13560-89-9
  • Candidate for listing on Stockholm Convention
  • SVHC listed2
  • SIN listed1

ABS/SAN/ASA

PU

Nylon

PP

30 – 350 g/kg plastic

30 – 350 g/kg plastic

30 – 350 g/kg plastic

30 – 350 g/kg plastic

Flame retardant

SCCP

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins

85535-84-8
  • Stockholm Convention chemical
  • SVHC listed
  • SIN listed1

PVC

330 g/kg plastic

 

Plasticiser/flame retardant

MCCP

Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins

85535-85-9
  • Candidate for listing on Stockholm Convention
  • SVHC listed2

PVC

150 g/kg plastic

Flame retardant

UV 328

 

25973-55-1
  • Candidate for listing on Stockholm Convention
  • SVHC listed2
  • SIN listed1

PVC

PU

ABS/SAN/ASA

1 – 10 g/kg plastic

-

-

UV stabiliser

TTS

Tetralead trioxide sulphate

12202-17-4
  • SVHC listed2
  • SIN listed1

PVC

10 – 40 g/kg plastic

Heat stabiliser

-

Lead distearate

1072-35-1

PVC

10 – 40 g/kg plastic

Heat stabiliser

This information was drawn from publicly available, peer reviewed sources. For more information, email: chemicals@awe.gov.au

Key for Table 1:

PVC: polyvinyl chloride; PS: polystyrene; ABS: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene; SAN: styrene acrylonitrile; ASA: acrylonitrile styrene acrylate; PU: polyurethane; PP: polypropylene; PE-LD: Low Density Polyethylene; PE-HD: High Density Polyethylene; PET: Polyethylene Terephthalate. 1 Substitute It Now (SIN) list. 2 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) list.

Chemicals of concern aren’t used in all plastics

Many of the chemicals used in plastics are low concern. Only some plastics contain high concern chemical additives.

How to determine if a plastic product contains chemicals of concern

The best way to find out whether a plastic product contains high concern chemicals is by requesting this information from the product manufacturer or retailer. Reading the ingredients list on a product label won’t normally tell you what’s in the plastic. For example, reading the ingredients list on a shampoo bottle tells you about the ingredients in the shampoo, not about the ingredients in the plastic bottle. To find out this information, you could contact the shampoo manufacturer.

Disposing of a product that contains chemicals of concern

To find out how to dispose of a plastic product that contains a chemical in Table 1, contact your state or territory government. 

Australian Capital Territory

ACT Government - City Services

New South Wales

NSW EPA

Northern Territory

NT EPA

Queensland

Department of Environment and Science

South Australia

EPA SA

Tasmania

EPA Tasmania

Victoria

EPA Victoria

Western Australia

WA Waste Authority

Government action on chemicals of concern

The Australian Government has recently established the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard—or IChEMS—to help industry and governments manage the environmental risks of chemicals. Through IChEMS we can manage chemicals of concern, including those listed in Table 1.