| Directive 91/338/EEC introduces
restrictions on the marketing and use of cadmium
in finished plastic products if the cadmium content
(expressed as Cd metal) exceeds 0.01% by mass of
the plastic material. The restrictions also apply
to paints. However, the restriction does not apply
to products to be coloured for safety reasons.
Moreover, restrictions are also placed on the
use of cadmium as a stabilizer in a wide variety
of finished domestic and industrial products where
the Cd content is again in excess of 0.01% expressed
by mass of the product if manufactured from polymer
or copolymers of vinyl chloride. However, this
restriction does not apply to finished products
using cadmium-based stabilisers for safety reasons.
Moreover, restriction also applies to cadmium
plating of metallic products.
The main objective is to reduce human exposure
to this toxic heavy metal as cadmium does not
break down and consequently we may take up cadmium
from the environment. In fact, cadmium stays in
the body a very long time and can build up from
many years of exposure to certain levels. |
