Position Paper: Silicones play a crucial role in meeting EU policy ambitions

In addition to stringent chemical and environmental legislation, the EU chemicals industry – including silicones – needs to transition to a green, digital and circular economy by 2050, and contribute to the EU’s strategic autonomy ambitions. Silicones Europe supports these policy goals and advocates for the crucial role silicones play in meeting them, backed up by science.

Silicones Europe believes that data-based policymaking is key to striking the right balance between ensuring EU policy goals can be met on the one hand, and protecting human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals on the other.

Background

About D4, D5, D6: D4, D5 and D6 are cyclosiloxanes, important building blocks of the broad family of silicone materials. They are building blocks in the manufacturing of silicone polymers, representing about 98% of their uses. D4, D5 and D6 are the main monomers in commercial production and their use has been proven safe for human health and the environment under current conditions of use. While they are all cyclosiloxanes, each substance has its own set of unique properties that make them the material of choice for countless essential applications in our day-to-day lives.