Additives in plastics

Our plain-English summary of Additives in plastics, by R.D. Deanin (Environmental Health Perspectives, 1975).

The study

• Author: R.D. Deanin
• Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives
• Published: 1975;11:35-9
• Cited by: 21 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher · Free full text

Abstract

The polymers used in plastics are generally harmless. However, they are rarely used in pure form. In almost all commercial plastics, they are "compounded" with monomeric ingredients to improve their processing and end-use performance. In order of total volume used, these monomeric additives may be classified as follows: reinforcing fibers, fillers, and coupling agents; plasticizers; colorants; stabilizers (halogen stabilizers, antioxidants, ultraviolet absorbers, and biological preservatives); processing aids (lubricants, others, and flow controls); flame retardants, peroxides; and antistats. Some information is already available, and much more is needed, on potential toxicity and safe handling of these additives during processing and manufacture of plastics products.

In plain English

This 1975 article was a descriptive overview, not a study of people or of health outcomes. The author classified the additives mixed into commercial plastics in the United States, roughly in order of the volume used, as a guide for industrial health scientists. These ranged from reinforcing fibers and fillers to plasticizers, colorants, stabilizers, processing aids, flame retardants, peroxides and antistats. On asbestos, the article did not name a fiber type. It stated that asbestos fibers were used for low cost and for heat and flame resistance. They were most commonly used in vinyl flooring, where the weight of asbestos could greatly exceed that of the vinyl resin, and increasingly in flame-retardant polypropylene. It said asbestos had in recent years been recognized as a serious lung hazard and that the industry was working on health safeguards in manufacturing. It also said that, once incorporated in the plastic, the fibers were believed to be harmless. The article presented no data on this point. The author concluded that some information was available, and much more was needed, on the potential toxicity and safe handling of these additives during processing and manufacture.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Descriptive overview and classification of additives used in plastics; no original data collection
• Who was studied: No people were studied; the article covers additives used in plastics manufacturing in the United States
• Exposure: Asbestos fibers (type not specified) used as a reinforcement in plastics, mainly vinyl flooring; the article also covers many other additives (glass fiber, fillers, plasticizers, pigments, stabilizers and others)
• Main results:
  • In vinyl flooring, the weight of asbestos can greatly exceed the weight of vinyl resin
  • Asbestos was finding increasing use in flame-retardant polypropylene
  • Asbestos had in recent years been recognized as a serious lung hazard, and the industry was working on improving health safeguards in manufacturing
  • Once incorporated in the plastic, asbestos fibers were believed to be harmless; the article gives no data for this
• The authors' conclusion: The author concluded that some information was already available, and much more was needed, on the potential toxicity and safe handling of plastics additives during processing and manufacture

Related studies

• Asbestos abatement of pipe and floor tile/mastic and comparison of critical plastic barrier controls — J.H. Lange (2004)
• A case-control study of lung cancer at a dye and resin manufacturing plant — F. Barbone, E. Delzell, et al. (1992)
• Health in power stations — R.C. Browne (1971)
• A review of exposure and toxicological aspects of carbon nanotubes, and as additives to fire retardants in polymers — A. Christou, A.A. Stec, et al. (2016)
• Polymers as selective antagonists of hemolytic asbestos fibers — R.J. Schnitzer, G. Bunescu (1970)
• Occupational exposure to airborne asbestos from phenolic molding material (Bakelite) during sanding, drilling, and related activities — F. Mowat, M. Bono, et al. (2005)

Browse more research in Environmental Health Perspectives, or return to medical research.