Cadmium based systems have been available for many years due to their excellent performance qualities. However, their use in the European Union was phased out on a voluntary basis as part of the industry's Voluntary Commitment of 2000 (Vinyl 2010).
Cadmium was used in form of a stearate or laurate for stabilising PVC and was combined with barium ester or lead stabiliser. Cadmium stabilisers offered excellent heat stability and weatherability to PVC compounds. There were mainly used in semi-rigid and flexible foil for products such as roofing membranes and in rigid applications for outdoor use such as window profiles.
Since June 1991, the Council Directive 91/338/EEC (now Annex XVII (Restrictions) of REACH) limits the use of cadmium compounds in most applications. Except in a very few applications, placing on the market articles manufactured from plastic material coloured or stabilised with cadmium is prohibited if the content exceeds 0.01% by mass of the plastic material. With the implementation of the PVC industry’s Voluntary Commitment in 2000, the use of cadmium in all stabiliser systems placed on the European market has been phased out voluntarily by all ESPA members: the use of cadmium was voluntary stopped in EU-15 in 2001. The commitment was extended to the new EU countries in 2007 (EU-27).