PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ADVOCACY
Titanium dioxide
In early 2017, the French agency for environment and health (ANSES) submitted a proposal to the European
Chemical Agency (ECHA) to reclassify TiO 2 as a substance that has the presumed carcinogenic potential to
cause cancer in humans through inhalation of its dust form.
As BCF members are probably aware, TiO 2 is an inert inorganic
member CEOs, and another 60 from supply chain companies
compound that is used as a white pigment in many industrial
and trade associations. As a result of the letter, the BCF were
applications. These applications include the manufacture of paints, invited to three meetings with HSE & BEIS officials, the last one
coatings, printing inks and wallcoverings where TiO 2 plays a
being in late January. The BCF was joined in the meeting by key
critical role in providing essential product properties: whiteness,
representatives from CEPE’s TiO 2 sounding board. The meeting
covering power, brightness, stability, and durability of colour
was very encouraging and will help guide the future strategy in
that cannot be achieved with other raw materials. TiO 2 is also
other member states.
used in many
other consumer
The important
Companies supporting the BCF’s CEO letter
products such
Competent
as plastics, paper
Authorities
and sunscreen.
for Reach and
Classification
The industry
and Labelling
united to
(CARACAL)
challenge this
meetings took
proposal on
place back in
the grounds
November
that there is
2017 and March
no evidence of
2018. Thanks
Wallcoverings
health risks to
to extensive
workers in either
efforts from
TiO 2 or paint
national paint/
Printing inks
ink associations
factories.
in each country,
In addition, there
a sizeable number of member states spoke up and raised
is no risk to users of paints and coatings once TiO 2 is bound in a
liquid or powder matrix. The TiO 2 stays bound in the matrix and
questions about the classification. Some were raising questions
does not reappear even whilst sanding.
about the scope of the CLP regulation, and others were talking
about classification exemptions for paints/inks; all objectives are
Since then, ECHA’s RAC gave a draft opinion that TiO 2 is a
still in play.
suspected carcinogen (category
Together with CEPE and others in
2) by inhalation of its powder.The
unintended consequence of this
the supply chain, the BCF are working
on influencing all member states to
decision is that manufacturers will
have to label consumer paints and
consider the appropriateness of CLP
ink products as “suspected of causing
in this case (given this is a generic
cancer” when the risk applies to a
dust issue and not a specific effect
caused by TiO 2 ) and if not successful,
substance (TiO 2 ) that is no longer
in the same form (powder) which
to agree that mixtures like paints,
allegedly makes it carcinogenic (by
coatings and inks (liquid and powder
inhalation). This is a clear example of
forms) should be exempt from any
why the industry needs more risk-
classification, given the lack of risk
based chemicals regulations.
to users of BCF members’ products
once TiO 2 is bound in a matrix.
In September the BCF coordinated
a letter about the significant impact
of the proposed TiO 2 classification
to Greg Clark, Secretary of State in
BEIS, with signatures from 80 BCF
BCF ANNUAL HANDBOOK 2018/19
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