GOOD NEWS FOR USERS OF CADMIUM PIGMENTS
GOOD NEWS FOR USERS OF CADMIUM PIGMENTS
June 1999
The European Commission voted earlier this year for no further restrictions on the marketing and use of cadmium pigments for use in plastics, halting the trend of recent years in reducing the number of applications in which these pigments are permitted.
Cadmium pigments have exceptional properties, most especially for colouring engineering polymers and cover the whole colour range from green-shade yellows, through yellows, oranges and reds to deep maroons. However, in recent years their use for pigmentation of plastics and paints has been restricted by legislation aimed at protecting the environment. It is well known that soluble cadmium species can adversely affect the environment and man if critical levels are exceeded, but on the other hand cadmium pigments are extremely insoluble compounds. The environmental legislation was based on the "precautionary principle". In the absence of information about releases associated with cadmium pigments or of data that was either definitive or accurate about the risks involved, the legislation sought to remain on the safe side by substituting for cadmium-containing products where technically feasible alternatives exist.
In 1995, the European Union recognised the inadequacy of existing data and the Commission instituted an assessment from an independent consultant to evaluate the cradle-to-grave lifecycle of cadmium pigments. Overall, it is known that the main releases of cadmium into the environment are from the burning of fossil fuels and the use of phosphate fertilisers. In the decades prior to the 1960's, levels of cadmium in the environment had been increasing with increasing industrialisation, but the levels have fallen dramatically since 1970, and the dose to man had remained all the time much lower than that set as safe by the World Health Organisation. Cadmium emissions associated with pigments represent a negligible fraction (less than 0.5 %) of the total emissions of cadmium to the environment. The thorough scientific assessment of the risks was completed last year and concluded that the emissions from the cadmium pigment lifecycle do not pose any significant risk to man or to the environment. On this basis, the European Commission did not recommend any further restrictions, and the member states voted accepting this.
The risks associated with heavy metals will continue to be reviewed, but it is now unlikely that changes in restrictions on marketing and use of cadmium pigments will be considered for at least three years. Unless new evidence is available then, it must be anticipated that cadmium pigments will continue to be assessed environmentally as free from significant risks. It would then be hoped that current restrictions will be lifted, as not being based on sound science !
Further information may be obtained from James M. Brown Limited or from the International Cadmium Association.
This page was last updated on 03
June 1999
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