CLARIANT’S PHOSPHINATE FLAME RETARDANT EXCELLENT GREENSCREEN® BENCHMARK 3 RATING CONFIRMED

Muttenz, 11-March-2024- Clariant asked the certified GreenScreen profiler ToxServices to review the assessment of Aluminum Diethylphosphinate (CAS #225789-38-8, “DEPAL”), the key ingredient in Clariant’s Exolit OP phosphinate flame retardants’ product range. The result was again (as in the previous assessment in 2019) an excellent benchmark 3 “use but still opportunity for improvements”. The hazard table shows Low levels of concern for most endpoints and some non-critical data gaps. Only for persistence in the environment a very High score is assigned which is linked to the chemical stability of DEPAL which in turn is required for the application in engineering plastics with their high processing temperatures of up to and above 300 °C. With this benchmark 3 Exolit OP stands out as more preferable in terms of hazard profile than competing products like red phosphorus and legacy brominated flame retardants (source: GreenScreen Registry and IC2-Database).

Earlier assessments (before 2016) by ToxServices and other third parties resulted in a benchmark 2 assignment “use but search for safer substitutes”. Some assessments were based on published summary data on the substance and the authors did not have access to the original studies which often contained valuable information on additional toxicological endpoints. Furthermore, over the last years more information has become available and additional studies were conducted on the substance by independent researchers, e.g. within the scope of the ENFIRO project funded by the European Commission.

Here you find a summary of the 2024 GreenScreen assessment. The full GreenScreen report is available online in the TOX FMD Screened Chemistry Library database for free public viewing. The database is located at https://database.toxservices.com - if you have not yet accessed it, please follow the link, click on the box on the far left called TOX FMD Screened Chemistry Library and register for a free account. With the free account, you will then be able to access the database and view all free BM-1 GreenScreens along with any publicly available non-BM-1 GreenScreens from ToxServices.

Ammonium polyphosphate, the basic ingredient in Clariant’s Exolit AP product range is also assigned a GreenScreen Benchmark of 3 (also available at TOX FMD).

General information about GreenScreen and the benchmarks, they are

1. Avoid – chemical of high concern
2. Use but search for safer substitutes
3. Use but still opportunity for improvement
4. Prefer – safer chemical