July 3rd, a small workshop was convened by the China Plastics Processing Industry Association and contracted by Plastic Additives of Heat Stabilizer in Qingdao. Participants of the conference more than doubled to organizers expected. More than 60 delegates of the workshop, in addition to representing heat stabilizer production enterprises, And half of the representatives from the plastic pipe, profiles, plates, sheets, door and window film, artificial leather and foam products and other downstream products processing enterprises. At the meeting, how to promote the heat stabilizer environmental protection process, to speed up the tempo of PVC products industry unleaded, has become the common concerned topic of delegates.
Environmental protection and development have been the general trend.
“Promote the heat stabilizer environmental protection process, to speed up the tempo of PVC products industry unleaded, has been the general trend of the development of China’s plastics industry.” It is expressed by Cao Jian the executive vice president of the China Plastics Processing Industry Association, to speed up the environmental protection process of PVC products industry not only is the external environment of plastics processing industry requirements, but also is plastics industry to speed up structural adjustment, strengthen innovation drive internal demand capacity, to achieve industrial upgrading and sustainable development. Plastic products is closely linked with people's lives, to ensure the safety of plastic products, is the social responsibilities and obligations that plastic industry must assumed.
China is the largest PVC resin and products production and consumption country in the world, PVC products play an increasingly important role in the various sectors of national economy and the people’s life. At the same time, the security of PVC products has attracted a lot of attention, the development, promotion, application of safety and environmental performance and excellent stabilizer instead of lead salt stabilizer is related to the development of the industry and public health security issues.
Shi Xunruo the deputy director of the China Plastic Association plastic additives Committee, tell the reporters, that as early as the beginning of this year, China Plastic Association had convened an application symposium substitute of lead heat stabilizer production in Guangzhou. Set up a leading group that led by China Plastic Association, heat stabilizer, additives of plastic pipe, profiles of windows and doors of attended PVC products to lead the work in the meeting. Along with the social from all walks of life enhancing awareness of environmental protection and the relevant departments of the government has increased the intensity of environmental protection, environmental protection, plastic additives without lead has become the route one must take the sustainable development of the plastics industry, lead salt stabilizer alternative work will enter a substantive stage.
For the work of PVC products unleaded, Shi Xunruo is always maintained a positive attitude. From 2006, the date of Plastic additives Committee heat stabilizer branch was established. He constantly reminds, Chinese PVC industry comprehensive ban lead sooner or later, the enterprise should be well ahead of the technical reserves. With this understanding, from his deep understanding of the development trend of international PVC industry and related environmental safety regulations. Over the years Shi Xunruo has been the international development trend of track, he told reporters, Early in the last century 90's the United States, he went to a stabilizer production enterprise inspection found that, when the United States companies have begun to lead-free work, they do a lot of technical development, and overcome the technical difficulties in the application of unleaded stabilizer. Enter 21 Century, continue to promote lead-free process of European heat stabilizer, which has also spread to China, because China's exports to Europe's toy, calendared film and profile hard products and electrical and electronic products must also meet European environmental standards.
Advance the process in order to ban lead.
Reporters in the interview that, the developed countries in Europe and America plastic products can lead to work were gradually expanded in the early in the last century 90's. In 1996 the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission issued documents, regulation of lead content of PVC products to enter the market to be less than 200ppm; Canada and some countries in South America have promulgated laws and regulations, is strictly prohibited in the PVC products in the use of lead salt stabilizer; In 2000, the EU PVC industry signed a voluntary commitment protocol, gives a clear timetable for unleaded, the commitment in the EU will ban lead in 2015.
Respectively in 2005 August and 2006 July, the implementation of the “Waste electrical and electronic equipment” (WEEE) and “On the prohibition of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment” (RoHS), in order to build a limit of lead and cadmium in the application of electronic electrical.
In order to swim with the tide that PVC products are without lead, our country in recent years have taken a series of measures to limit and reduce the use of lead salt stabilizer. In 2003 the implementation of the “National Technical Regulations on toy safety” (GB6675-2003) was started. It is the biggest toy materials in the migration of elements lead limit was 90mg; Announcement of the Ministry of construction in 2004, clearly pointed out in UPVC water supply pipe must use non lead salt stabilizer; in August 11, 2006, the implementation of the “Unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-U) pipe” (GB/T10002.1-2006) was started, Requirements indicate the water pipes with PVC must be non-lead salt stabilizer production; in February 28, 2006 Seven ministries jointly issued the “Electronic information products pollution control management measures” to lead, cadmium and other toxic substances made with the same limit set by RoHS instruction; in March 1, 2009 implemented the national "PVC leatherette limit of harmful substances" (GB21550-2008) started, Limit should be less than 90mg artificial leather lead content of soluble, soluble cadmium content should not be greater than 75mg.
As a result, our country’s work of plastics industry unleaded is under way orderly, And has made gratifying progress in children's toys, UPVC water supply pipe, electronic information products and artificial leather products. But look at the statistical data provided from CPPIA plastic additives Committee, In 2012 about 500000 tons of heat stabilizer production, non-lead products accounted for less than 20%, lead salt stabilizer market share still occupies the absolute dominant position, non-lead stabilizer only has issued national standards explicitly bans lead several varieties and exported to Europe and the United States PVC products. Our country protecting environmental and in the same time products using PVC heat stabilizer is still a long way to go.
This year in June 18th, the Supreme People's court and the Supreme People's Procurator ate jointly announced "on handling the issues concerning the application of law in environmental criminal cases to explain", again to the production of lead, cadmium and other heavy metals compounds involved in the production and use of enterprises sounded the alarm. The judicial interpretation of "strictness", which is a part of the pollution of the environment law, which not only expanded the range of contaminants, new environmental pollution standards of offense, but also reduces the threshold for conviction. This means that, in the future the state laws and regulations and standards, regulatory environment and the related human health, security will be more firmly and strictly, do not comply with the relevant national environmental directives and safety standards for enterprises will face the dual economic and legal sanctions. In this grim situation, products using PVC heat stabilizer without lead again to work on schedule.
Ban lead overall still have handicap.
Why export and PVC product requirements can lead to lead-free, but most of the domestic products cannot do?
Most of the interviewees think, first of all, the lack of corresponding limit state regulations and mandatory of national standards is an important reason for China's PVC industry can lead the slow progress of work; Secondly, lead-free large-scale alternative to also exist in the processing of PVC products on some technical problems; and then the current situation of production and operation of plastic products production enterprises is not optimistic, and the replacement of lead salt stabilizer will undoubtedly increase the cost of production enterprises, virtually added to replace the difficulty.
Shi Xunruo thinks that, although the heat stabilizer of the environmental protection is represent the general trend, but the process will not come very naturally to complete, it is difficult to depending on the enterprise self-discipline, must have the regulations and related technical standards for related products of lead content in clearly defined, industries and enterprises to rule-based, law, we can stand on the same starting line order to promote lead-free process.
The manager of Guangdong Winner New Materials Technology Co; Ltd. Zheng De proposed that constraints are formulated and mandatory measures necessary to promote lead-free process, industry should introduce relevant schedule, and will limit the toxic and harmful substances indicators to a relevant product standard, which is not only responsible for the society, is also the industry self-discipline and self-important means my protection. The Vice President of Chongqin Goody Technology Co., Ltd Fu Zhimin also proposed that No lead work should start from the standard, the standard reference implementation we will. Our water supply pipe and a low-pressure irrigation pipe is because of lead-free requirements of the national standard, so it has no people in the use of lead salt stabilizer.
In addition to the lack of regulations and standards, in the lead salt stabilizer environmentally-friendly alternative products, a difficult technical problem of how to solve the replacement after the products performance and machining process is also troubling enterprises. “Lead-free PVC process is not non-lead products of lead salt stabilizer is a simple substitution process, theory and technology all have difficulties. First, the product formula a big adjustment, the second process is to improve, even processing equipment and mold to make corresponding changes to ensure the machining performance and the quality of products is not reduced after the replacement of lead-free products. Europe could lead experience that, only by coordinating the raw materials, formulation, process and tooling, equipment and other factors, in order to promote lead-free work.” Shi Xuanruo said that.
Products processing enterprises is more deep understanding of this class of problems. The Quality Director of China Lesso Group Holdings Limited, Song Keming introduced that, Lesso have carried out the research of lead-free early in 2005, water will achieve lead-free, drainage company export pipe is also used in non-lead stabilizer. Now in Lesso the lead salt stabilizer instead of work has been done by 2/3, but the profile, in the specifications of the solid wall pipe of large diameter and high speed production of wire rod is there are some technical problems to be overcome. The chief engineer of Yonggao Co., Ltd Huang Jian was proposed the same question that there is precipitation using calcium zinc stabilizer and processing of PVC pipe, especially in the profiles of large diameter pipe and complex structure. This problem is more outstanding.
In addition to regulations, standards and technical problems to be solved, more and more enterprises that, in the industrial economy of the current situation, economic problems of lead-free alternative is a more restrictive factors difficult. To the plastic pipe industry as an example, the meager profit business, excess capacity has brought the fierce market competition, enterprises have to cut prices to maintain the existing market share. The era of meager profit but also for environmental protection to pay more costs, allow enterprises to unbearable.
“I think that lead free is the core of the cost issue, the biggest problem does not exist in the technology, the key is to digest the increased costs. If we increase the price of the products, the market will be preempted; if the price is not, self-absorption, increased costs would devour our profits, companies cannot be sustained.” Song Keming said that represented most of the PVC products in a dilemma mood.
Integration of resources is indispensable
Although facing many difficulties, lead salt stabilizer from the PVC market in China is an inevitable trend of development, the domestic stabilizer and PVC products industry leading enterprises have realized this point. But instead of lead salt stabilizer is project of a system, to realize the smooth transition and replacement, also need the plastics industry on the lower reaches of the act with united strength, joint efforts.
Cao Jian said, as the industry organization, China Plastics Processing Industry Association will actively promote the environmental protection, advocate of PVC heat stabilizer production, application of work, strengthen the industrial chain between the upstream and downstream, between the enterprise and enterprise, between enterprise and government communication, communication and coordination, actively strive for the national policy support, help, members of the organization of units to formulate standards to solve the problem as soon as possible, lead salt production and application in practical alternative process.
China Plastics Processing Industry Association Deputy Secretary General Tian Yan told reporters, according to "China CPPIA plastics industry" Twelfth Five Year Plan "guiding opinions" requirements, how to accelerate the environmental protection process of PVC plastic products production in China at present, the association is to study the new situation, call a meeting of heat stabilizer and pipe, profiles, plates, sheets, and door and window film, artificial leather and foam products professional committee of the responsible person and the representative of production enterprises, is to discuss the existence of lead-free process problems, and actively seek feasible solutions, and issued the initiative, calling on all the PVC related auxiliaries and products manufacturing enterprises, strictly observe and implement the national environmental protection, health and other aspects of the laws and regulations and relevant standards, strict control of toxic and harmful substances discharged during production, to ensure that the production of the health personnel. Still in production and use of lead, cadmium stabilizer production enterprises, to accelerate technology development and technical transformation, the use of environmentally friendly alternative materials as soon as possible out of lead, cadmium stabilizer production, and using.
“Our country related products processing enterprises in the aspects of technology and R & D are carried out for many years and a lot of technical reserves, and some progress has been made. But PVC could lead to work on several enterprises efforts is difficult to complete. At present the most important work is to integrate various resources, concentrated force, form resultant force, to overcome the technical difficulties. In addition to the stabilizer and the product enterprise cooperation, also need joint equipment, mold manufacturing enterprises to join, the integration of all collection of power and resources, in order to ensure the smooth progress of the process to lead.” CPPIA profile of the Secretary General Wang Cunji expressed his own views.
According to press reports, at present, China Plastics Processing Industry Association is the non-lead salt stabilizer production, technology and application of investigation, in the full grasp of the relevant data and cases, association will develop can lead the timetable is suitable for industry practice, in order to promote the development of no lead work.
To jointly promote the ban of lead process
China Plastic Association plastic pipe products professional committee secretary general Wang Zhanjie: Lead-free PVC pipeline is represent the general trend, there is no way back. A few years ago, the plastic pipe industry has taken the lead in drinking water PVC pipe in the lead-free. In recent years, some enterprise backbone industries are actively doing technical research and development and reserve, and made some progress. But in the process of replacement of lead salt stabilizer, there are many technical difficulties to overcome, non-lead stabilizer existing cannot meet the market demand scale? Alternative will produce what kind of problem? How to solve these problems? It also requires heat stabilizer enterprise and the plastic pipe enterprises to strengthen cooperation, joint efforts. In addition, in the formulation of bans lead schedule, we must fully consider China's national conditions, scientific and rational, do not blindly copy foreign experience.
The general manager of the Jiangsu Union Chemical Co., Ltd. Zhang Hongbing: After nearly 30 years of development, China's PVC products processing industry has been ranked first in the world, become a huge industry trillion output. PVC resin consumption has exceeded 15000000 tons, the use of heat stabilizer of more than 500000 tons, which contains heavy metals such as lead, cadmium stabilizer consumption 350000 ~40 million tons, accounting for 70%~80% of the total heat stabilizer, is still the dominant product stabilizer market. The product formula, most products business process flow, production equipment and supporting die over the years have adapted to this system.
At the same time, as our country's market economy is still in the primary stage, it is difficult to completely through industry self-discipline to achieve the transformation of the industry, must have a strong external force, and standardize enterprise behavior constraints. The backbone enterprises in the industry must be based on it is somewhat do not be somewhat principle, through technological progress and innovation, to realize the PVC stabilizer industry environmental sustainable development.
The work to PVC products without lead is a complex project, involving every aspect of upstream and downstream, cannot accomplish at one stroke. The industry should unite, work out a long-term sustainable development strategy of PVC stabilizer industry with Chinese characteristics, not only to have the vision, but also a detailed organizational programme, specific action plans and complete evaluation, the only way to ensure PVC products can lead to work smoothly.
The chairman of Shenzhen Zhihai industrial limited company Yan Yifeng: Shenzhen Zhihai was founded in 1997, Guangdong Zhejiang and Jiangsu area export enterprises of Zhihai to the survival of the environment, more than ten years we have been committed to the development and production of environment-friendly stabilizer PVC, provides a solution for lead-free hundreds of export enterprises, the export product quality fully meet requirements of lead content in Europe and the United states. As far as I know, at present in the accessories manufacturers of electronic products Guangdong have no people with lead salt stabilizer, either export or domestic sales. That more than ten years of practice, technical problems are not impassable gap, with Chinese of one's ability and cleverness, through the joint efforts and cooperation of upstream and downstream processing, technical problems can be solved.
In 2006 the EU started the implementation of RoSH directive, the use of lead salt stabilizer of the enterprise is a shock, but for calcium zinc stabilizer non lead enterprise is a business opportunities, some enterprises took the opportunity to grow up. PVC products can lead stabilizers for industry, is both a challenge and an opportunity, the key is to have a vision, objectives, a clear timetable.
Article excerpts from: China Chemical Industry News
