SAPICI (a Sun Chemical company) welcomes new ECHA regulations around handling of diisocyanates
SAPICI, a Sun Chemical company, welcomes the updates to Regulation EU 1149/2020 which have been implemented to improve worker safety and environmental protections regarding diisocyanate handling beginning on August 24th, 2023. From this date, mandatory training will be required for all workers handling diisocyanates in free monomer concentrations exceeding 0.1%.
Diisocyanates are used in the creation of polyurethane products, such as rigid and flexible foams, coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers. The new requirement of Restriction 74 is an extension to Annex XVII of the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation).
SAPICI, a Sun Chemical company since early 2022, and a global leader in creating high-performance polyurethane solutions for coatings, flexible packaging, industrial adhesives and prepolymers, welcomes the continued and strengthened attention that European and global legislative bodies direct towards worker health and safety and environmental protection through initiatives such as this. But as important as robust legislation is, companies themselves share the responsibility to act.
Cristian Furiosi, CEO at SAPICI comments: “As SAPICI’s clients know, we’ve been developing, manufacturing and commercialising advanced polyurethane products and solutions, fully compliant with this new regulation since 2004. We were the first in the world to introduce aromatic isocyanates with ultra-low monomer content (less than 0.1%). Workers handling SAPICI POLURGREEN products do not require the new, mandatory training, nor do these products need to be labelled with these mandatory training requirements.”
For those who do require the new training, online courses and materials can be found at www.safeusediisocyanates.eu. This platform offers around 30 training paths based on PU applications, including three videos on sensitisation, personal protective equipment and first aid. The content will be available in all the official languages of EU Member States.
Sun Chemical proactively monitors regulatory changes globally to help brands comply with the latest updates.
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