Protecting Polymers from Oxidative Degradation

The main uses identified in the adhesives and sealants sector include hot-melt adhesives, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and the use of UV stabilisers in general adhesive and sealant applications. Uses were identified for all four UV stabilisers, although UV-P was only identified through publicly available REACH registration data.

Hot-melt adhesives are heated to become liquid and solidify at room temperature. They are commonly used for packaging, bookbinding, and textile repairs. Pressure-sensitive adhesives remain soft and tacky and are used in products such as tapes and self-adhesive labels.

The building and construction sector is a major user of all four UV stabilisers assessed, with industry experts indicating that UV-329 may be the most widely used. UV stabilisers are applied in both indoor and outdoor construction products to protect materials from sunlight-related degradation.

In outdoor applications, they help preserve roofing membranes, cladding, window and door profiles, decking, fencing, and pipes by reducing discoloration and material breakdown caused by UV exposure. They are also used in products such as laminated safety glass.

For indoor applications, UV stabilisers are used in flooring, wall panels, and furniture components to maintain colour, gloss, and flexibility, even though UV exposure indoors is generally lower.

UV stabilisers are widely used in the coatings, paints, and inks sector, particularly in coatings for both indoor and outdoor applications. This assessment identified UV-234 and UV-326 as the most commonly used additives, while UV-329 appears to be used less frequently. UV-P was only identified through publicly available REACH data.

Applications include wood coatings, protective coatings for wind turbines and exterior surfaces, decorative coatings for vehicles and window blinds, and other high-performance coatings. In all cases, UV stabilisers help improve the durability and service life of the coating.

All four UV stabilisers were identified for use in electronics applications, with UV-234 and UV-326 being the most commonly used. They are applied in a wide range of products to protect sensitive components from environmental exposure and material degradation.

A key application is in protective housings for consumer electronics, power tools, cables, small appliances, and other electrical components. Additional uses were identified in photovoltaic systems, including frames, wires, cables, and elastomer jackets, as well as in lighting and other electrical components.

The mobility and automotive sector is a major user of UV stabilisers, particularly UV-329 and UV-234, although all four substances are used across the industry. Research indicates that this sector is one of the largest end markets for UV stabilisers.

They are used in a wide range of exterior vehicle parts, including housings, bumpers, headlamp lenses, trims, panels, and mirror covers, as well as interior components such as dashboards, door trims, instrument panels, and sun visors. UV stabilisers are also used in glazing materials, underlining their importance throughout the vehicle.

The packaging sector is considered one of the largest markets for UV stabilisers in the EU, although research suggests these specific substances may play a smaller role compared to other UV stabilisers. Nevertheless, all four substances were identified for use in this sector.

They are used in a wide variety of packaging applications, including heavy-duty packaging, solid crates, flexible and thin-film packaging, printing materials, bottles, bottle caps, coffee cups, and sports bottles. Their use spans both rigid and flexible packaging formats for lightweight and heavy-duty applications.

Instances of use of UV-light stabilisers were harder to validate in this Study. The literature reviewed indicates that UV-light stabilisers (no specific substances identified) may be used in organic solar cells, however it was not possible to validate the exact substance or place of use beyond academic applications.

UV-234 was additionally identified as being used in coatings for the rotor component of wind turbine.

UV-234 and UV-326 were identified for their use in sports equipment in helmets, paddles and playground equipment (UV-234) and in artificial turf (UV-326).

Several generic uses of UV-light stabilisers were identified for the textiles and fibres sector for UV-234, UV-326 and UV-P. No instances of use of UV-329 were identified. Uses were identified for fibres for automotive, building and construction and carpet and upholstery applications (exact uses were not specified, all for UV-234). UV-326 was identified in clothing uses including PVC shoes, soles and leather, as well as textile dyes. UV-P was identified for its use in polyester and spandex fibres.

Finally, UV-326, UV-329 and UV-234 were identified for uses in the wire and cable sector (with some overlaps noted between the electronics sector, though these overlaps were disaggregated as part of the data processing activities). The main uses identified (for all three substances) were cables of various types, including outdoor cables and charging cables, as well as their use in ‘wires’ (no further details specified).