Perstorp launches phthalate-free, 100% renewable attributed PVC plasticiser

Swedish speciality chemicals manufacturer Perstorp has unveiled a new grade of its PVC plasticiser Pevalen.

The Pevalen Pro 100 is 100% renewable carbon-based, attributed through a mass balance method. The material is a ‘true non-phthalate’ PVC plasticiser, according to the company. It is designed for ‘close-to-consumer’, flexible PVC applications such as coated fabrics, PVC plastisol, and flexible film.

Perstorp says the plasticiser is a drop-in replacement for fossil-based phthalate plasticisers, some of which have been banned under REACH regulations in the European Union. This is the case for low molecular weight phthalates such as DEHP, BBP, DBP and DIBP. In 2021, Perstorp launched a phthalate plasticiser DPHP with renewable-attributed content as a replacement to DEHP.

Now, as a response to increasing regulatory and consumer pressure for PFAS-free materials, the company has introduced the Pevalen Pro 100. It claims the material ‘is everything you’d expect from a traditional plasticiser, while keeping you on the right side of regulatory and customer demands’.

Plasticised PVC is one of the most used, and one of the cheapest, plastics available. The addition of plasticisers makes the material soft and flexible. Plasticisers are added to PVC in quantities of up to 60% of the final product by weight. However, because they are not chemically bonded to the plastic, those same plasticisers migrate out of the PVC to the surface as the material ages, leaving it hard and rigid. Commonly used plasticisers for PVC are phthalic acid esters – phthalates – and these are chemicals that, once in the environment, have been associated with a plethora of negative health impacts.

“We know that PVC can be a valuable resource, if it is made, used and disposed of thoughtfully,” said Linda Zellner, innovation director at Perstorp. “Flexible PVC is incredibly useful and would be hard to replace. Plus, it’s a material that already offers excellent recyclability if produced in the right manner and with the right ingredients. The launch of Pevalen Pro 100 is a big milestone to contribute to this journey. It delivers greater durability using less material, lasts longer and also offers a significantly better environmental profile.”

By factoring in the biogenic carbon dioxide uptake from its renewable raw materials, Pevalen Pro 100 offers a product carbon footprint reduction of approximately 80% relative to its fossil-based equivalent, as measured by a cradle-to-gate LCA methodology.