Titanium Dioxide Study Confirms Significant Impact

Hard to replace, a massive restriction on product quality and variety, bad for established recycling methods: This is the conclusion of a recent study on titanium dioxide, which was commissioned by PlasticsEurope Deutschland, AGPU and other industry associations by Conversio Market & Strategy GmbH. The study is a response to the European Commission’s plans to classify titanium dioxide as a potential carcinogen. White pigment is an important raw material for paints, cosmetics and medicines and is contained in almost all processed plastics in Germany, almost 50 percent of which contain more than one percent.

The aim of the study is both to obtain facts about the use of titanium dioxide in plastics processing in the various applications and to determine the effects with regards to the recycling of plastic waste. In the case of classification, all plastic waste streams containing more than one percent titanium dioxide, especially from the construction and demolition sectors, could become hazardous waste.

The abstract of the study is available for download on the AGPU website. The complete study is available for a fee from the BKV website.