Are you a plastic manufacturer? If so, this article was made just for you! In this blog we will provide you with the most important information we’ve learned first-hand through helping others in the plastic manufacturing space. We hope to equip you with the necessary tools and information you will need as you start your compliance and sustainability journey.
Compliance Regulations for Plastic Manufacturers
- CA Prop 65 - If you are selling your product anywhere in the state of California, this regulation applies to you
- REACH & SCIP - Importing your products into the EU? If so, these regulations apply to you
- TSCA - If your plastic is manufactured, processed, distributed, or disposed of in the U.S., compliance with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is an important requirement
- EU POPs - POPs stands for persistent organic pollutants and are organic substances that persist in the environment and accumulate in living organisms. Plastic components likely fall into the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) industrial chemicals category, making this regulation an important one if you engage with EU markets.
Not sure what these compliance regulations are, or need a refresher? Check out our Compliance Crash Course and TSCA blogs!
Additional Requirements for Plastic Manufacturers
- Full Material Disclosure (FMD) - While FMD is not a specific regulation or report, as a plastic manufacturer you are likely to get requests for information from your customers who may be trying to maintain their own compliance and/or get sustainability reports. Having FMD will allow you to support your customers in their endeavors while also maintaining your own compliance status.
Digital Product Passports (DPP) - While DPPs are not yet required, changes making them required are anticipated in the next couple of years. DPPs on the Toxnot Exchange are a great way to communicate all of the above information to your customers on one platform.
Tips & Need-to-Knows
Other tips and need-to-knows that might be helpful to you as you’re starting your journey and getting familiar with the Toxnot Platform:
- In order to pursue many of the above-mentioned compliance regulations or sustainability reports, full material disclosure (FMD) down to 100 ppm (at least) is necessary in order to fulfill the requirements.
- Product compliance and sustainability reporting are largely dependent on what your final product contains (i.e. dyes) and what markets you are selling into (i.e. the EU, the US, etc.). Go into this process understanding that each product line may have different requirements that require careful attention.
- As a plastic manufacturer, we understand that protecting your formulation is a top priority for you. We also understand that you’re getting many requests from customers to provide them with chemical data. Toxnot’s proprietary functionality is the perfect solution to meet customer needs while also protecting your data.
- While in some cases the proprietary functionality mentioned above will be sufficient to meet customer needs, that will not always be the case. Regulatory complexity continues to increase, demanding more and more data from manufacturers. For this reason, it’s important to consider the possibility of providing your customers with FMD data to avoid being overwhelmed with data requests.
Toxnot is no stranger to helping manufacturers and suppliers from the plastic industry. For this reason, we understand that every sustainability journey looks different, but we are committed to helping you reach your goals regardless. Using the resources and tips outlined here, you can be well on your way to meeting your compliance and reporting commitments!
Sign up for a free Toxnot account today to get started!
