In an article published on May 16, 2019, regulatory news provider Chemical Watch informed about health and materials company Royal DSM’s plan to remove the solvent N-methylpyrrolidone (CAS 872-50-4; NMP) from its coating resin products by July 2020. The press release issued by the company refers to NMP’s listing as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) added to the EU’s REACH Annex XVII restricted substances list and planned for restriction in mixtures after May 9, 2020. NMP has also been previously been prioritized by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) for addition to the REACH Annex XIV authorization list (FPF reported). In the U.S., the substance is listed as a Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) priority substance. NMP is within the FACET inventory of food contact materials and was identified as a “key chemical of concern in food packaging” by the non-governmental organization Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) (FPF reported).
Royal DSM said that the removal of NMP is part of its “proactive product stewardship approach to reduce the presence of chemicals of concern over the coming years.” The company is reported as not having developed new products containing NMP over the past decade and instead now offering solvent-free waterborne resins. It told Chemical Watch that it is “convinced it has alternatives available and is working closely with customers to fulfill their needs.” A set of U.S. retailers have already pledged to ban NMP-containing paint strippers including Amazon, Sherwin-Williams, and Walmart.
Read More
Leigh Stringer (May 16, 2019). “Global company DSM to remove NMP from resin products.”
Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families (May 16, 2019). “Global chemicals company phasing out toxic chemical used in finishes for wood flooring and cabinets.”
Sonja Haider (May 28, 2019). “Is there finally a green frontrunner in the chemical industry?” ChemSec
