Chemical in Plastic

Of the more than 13,000 chemicals associated with plastics and plastic production, 7,000 have been screened for their hazardous properties. Of these 7,000, more than 3,200 have been identified as substances of potential concern based on their hazardous properties . Hazardous properties considered include carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, and ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms as classified according to the United Nations (UN)’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and the European Union’s Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (CLP) (European Commission 2008a).

Polyester, nylon, acrylic and other synthetic fibers are all different forms of plastic that now account for over 60% of the material that makes up our clothes worldwide.

Several POPs (e.g., PBDEs, HBCDD, SCCPs, PFOS, and PFOA) have been used for textiles, such as curtains, carpets, and mattresses for use in our homes and in public spaces like hotels, healthcare institutions, etc.

These chemicals are not labelled on textile products, rendering it virtually impossible for consumers to make informed purchasing decisions and for recyclers to recycle these products safely. As a result, consumers have no information about the POPs content of the textiles they purchase.

Polymer type and examples of main plastic applications

THERMOPLASTICS

Polyethylene (PE) - packaging, consumer goods, fibers and textiles, pipes and fittings

Polypropylene (PP) - packaging, consumer goods, automotive applications

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - building and construction, health care, electronics, automobile and other sectors, piping and siding, blood bags and tubing, wire and cable insulation, windshield system components

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)- plastic bottles, tape applications, packaging, rigid cosmetic jars, microwavable containers, transparent films

Polystyrene (PS) - protective packaging (such as packing peanuts and CD and DVD cases), containers, lids, bottles, trays, tumblers, disposable cutlery, in the making of models

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) - building materials, white foam packaging, surfboards

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) - drain-waste-vent pipe systems, musical instruments (recorders, plastic clarinets, piano movements), golf club heads, automotive

trim components, automotive bumper bars, medical devices for blood access, enclosures for electrical and electronic assemblies, protective headgear, whitewater canoes, buffer edging for furniture and joinery panels, luggage and protective carrying cases, small kitchen appliances, toys (including Lego and Kre-O bricks), household and consumer goods

Styrene-acrylonitrile resin (SAN) - food containers, water bottles, kitchenware, computer products, packaging material, battery cases, plastic optical fibers

Polyamides (PA) - textiles, automotive industry, carpets, kitchen utensils, sportswear

Polycarbonate (PC) - electronic components, construction materials, data storage, automotive, aircraft, railway, security components, medical applications, phones

Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) (also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, or plexiglass) transparent glass substitute, daylight redirection, medical technologies and implants, artistic and aesthetic uses

Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) - automotive sector, household appliances sector

Polyarylsulfone - membranes, fuel cells

Fluoropolymers, e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)* - automotive and aircraft bearings and seals, flame retardants, cookware coatings, linings of piping and chemical tanks, packing for lithium-ion batteries, cable coating in telecommunications and computer industries, implants and catheters for bio-medical applications

Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) - bearings, piston parts, pumps, high-performance liquid chromatography columns, compressor plate valves, electrical cable insulation, ultra-high vacuum applications, medical implants

Polyoxymethylene (POM) - in precision parts requiring high stiffness, low friction, and excellent dimensional stability

Polybutylene terephthalate - housings in electrical engineering, in automotive construction as plug connectors, showerheads, irons, processed into fibers in toothbrushes and false eyelashes, in the keycaps of some high-end computer keyboards

Polylactic acid (PLA) - plastic film, disposable tableware, cutlery bottles, 3D printing, medical implants, monofilament fishing line

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) - packaging, medical implants

Polybutylene succinate (PBS) - packaging, tableware, mulching films, release materials for pesticide and fertilizer

Polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) - cling wrap for food packaging, compostable plastic bags, and water-resistant coatings such as on paper cups

Polycaprolactone (PCL) - medical implants; drug delivery device

Polyurethane (PUR) - cleaning products, furniture, automobile seats, hoses, sculptures, decorations, filling of spaces and cavities

Unsaturated polyester - sheet moulding compound, bulk moulding compound and the toner of laser printers, as overlays on roads and bridges

Epoxy resins - paints and coatings, adhesives, industrial tooling and composites, wind turbine technology composites, electrical systems and electronics, petroleum and petrochemical, consumer and marine applications

Melamine resin - construction material, kitchen utensils and plates, cabinet and furniture making

Vinyl ester- as an alternative to polyester and epoxy materials, as thermoset polymer matrix in composite materials, manufacture of fiberglass reinforced plastics (FRP), tanks and vessels

Silicone - automotive, aerospace, coatings, cookware, defoaming, dry cleaning, electronics, firestops, lubricants, medicine, mold making, ophthalmology, personal care, plumbing and building construction, toys and hobbies

Phenol – formaldehyde resin production of molded products including billiard balls, laboratory countertops, and as coatings and adhesives

Urea – formaldehyde adhesives, finishes, particle boards, medium-density fiberboard, and molded objects.

Acrylic resins - ingredient in paints

*PTFE cannot be remoulded due to its high melt viscosity

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Source: United Nations Environment Programme and Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (2023). Chemicals in plastics: a technical report. Geneva.