PVC Phthalates free
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) free from phthalates. Plasticisers are very often added to PVC (e.g. to form plastisols) in order to improve certain qualities (flexibility, elongation at break, resistance to cold and shocks, etc.) or to make them easier to handle.
Phthalates are commonly used as plasticisers to make plastics more flexible, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Around three million tonnes of phthalates are produced worldwide per year, meaning they can be found everywhere around us, from cosmetics and paint to clothing and toys. Some of them have an endocrine-disrupting effect and are toxic to the male reproductive system in rodents. Several phthalates have been classified as substances presumed toxic to human reproduction (CMR category 1B) by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Measures have been taken at the French and European level to limit or even prohibit the use of certain phthalates considered dangerous in cosmetics, toys and anything children can put in their mouths, medical devices and materials that come into contact with food. The term “phthalate-free” shows that the PVC does not contain any of these substances.