Benzophenone-free SENOLITH® UV lacquers from WEILBURGER Graphics
WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH can reassure its customers on the recent reclassification and labelling obliga-tion of benzophenone by the European Commission and the associated impact on the EuPIA exclusion policy for printing inks and related products and massive impact on the printing and packaging industry.
WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH, based in Gerhardshofen, Germany, an internationally active manufacturer of varnishes, inks and adhesives for the graphic arts industry, announces that the company has already responded to the Delegated Regulation of the European Commission (EU) 2022/692 of 03.05.2022 amending Part 3 of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP Regulation) for the purpose of adapting it to technical and scientific progress (Adaptation to Technical Progress (ATP)) and has updated its formulations for all UV lacquers offered in accordance with the new requirement.
The company complies with the new requirements of the European Commission
Dr. Christine Spitzlei, Head of Regulatory Affairs at WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH on the subject: "As a downstream user, we are obliged to adopt the new classification and labelling of benzophenone as a category 1 B carcinogenic substance. With this classification, benzophenone falls under the exclusion criteria of the "EuPIA exclusion policy for printing inks and related products". Dr Spitzlei continues: "This is the 18th adaptation. The Regulation entered into force on 23rd May 2022 and will apply in all Member States from 1st December 2023. The new Regulation added 39 new entries to Table 3 of Part 3 of Annex VI to CLP, including the entry of benzophenone, revised 17 entries and deleted one entry. The 18th ATP draft to the CLP Regulation was adopted by the European Commission on 16.02.2022. As a member of EuPIA, we have committed to replacing this photoinitiator in our affected UV lacquer systems with one or more non-hazardous photoinitiators within six months of the EU Commission's draft regulation becoming known, by 31.08.2022. "
Arno Dürr, Sales Manager of WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH adds: "It is important to mention that this change in product composition has no impact on the product properties of our wide range of SENOLITH® UV lacquers as well as associated additives and auxiliary materials. Our SENOLITH® UV lacquer systems will continue to be manufactured and supplied in the same, unchanged high quality. In the course of these recipe adjustments, we will update the safety data sheets and the labelling of our containers accordingly. The new safety data sheets will then be sent to our customers by automatic safety data sheet dispatch promptly and in good time. "
WEILBURGER Graphics GmbH has a strongly positioned product safety department and is therefore able to react to legal changes well in advance. Raw materials for the UV FP (UV Food Packaging) sector are also evaluated in this department and monitored by means of regular GC/MS analyses. This results in an extremely high safety level for the users. In addition, WEILBURGER Graphics has also developed and brought to market in 2019 UV lacquers under the SENOLITH® UV FP PLUS class that are no longer based on "classic" photoinitiators. The UV lacquer technology used for the first time in this product class dispenses with the use of low-molecular photoinitiators (which include, for example, benzophenone or 4-methylbenzphenone) that reduces the migration of fission products to a minimum. The use of low-molecular compounds < 1000 Dalton is completely avoided. UV irradiation starts a self-crosslinking process in these UV lacquers, which leads to a high crosslinking density of the polymer matrix and thus ensures exponentially higher migration safety.
Arno Dürr adds in conclusion: "Especially in the case of such far-reaching changes in the formulation of complete product ranges due to legislation, the use of our new, ultra-modern production systems naturally comes in handy again. Almost at the push of a button, these systems enable us to produce, label, fill and seamlessly deliver the changed recipes to our international customers in very large quantities and with a very high degree of automation, quickly, safely and with almost no adaptation times."
The company will be happy to answer any questions customers may have about the new legislation and the resulting changes to the SENOLITH® UV lacquers, which are nevertheless of the same quality.
Further information: www.weilburger.com
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Weilburger is one of the most important developers and manufacturers of functional coatings and lacquers for industrial and consumer goods plus special coatings for the graphics industry. Weilburger coating solutions create values and convincing product benefits everywhere, worldwide and in all industrial sectors. They preserve and protect, enhance functions and embellish your products. They give your products an unmistakable look and feel. They work on metals, plastics, wood and foil and also on glass, ceramics, paper and cardboard. ►Weilburger functional coatings and lacquers create surfaces which are precisely what people worldwide are looking for.
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