Phthalates serve a vital role in the creation of many polymeric materials. As such, having an acute sense of where they sit in the regulatory scheme is extremely important to professionals in the adhesives and sealants industry.
Like industry manufacturers, regulators often hold association-like meetings (even if they are not called that), take notice of what others are doing, and piggy-back regulation changes. Given Europe’s relatively progressive regulatory scheme under the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH), we need to look there to foresee what may happen in North America.