Rosin esters suppliers in Brazil, the US and Europe have expressed mixed opinions over an upcoming review of an EU labelling scheme for absorbent hygiene products.
A revision of the EU Ecolabel is expected to provide more clarity regarding the use of rosin esters as tackifiers into adhesive materials for absorbent hygiene products. Some rosin ester suppliers remain hopeful that this will open up further opportunities for them in the EU.
According to a European Commission official, the revised criteria are expected to be published in the EU's Official Journal this month. The Ecolabel guarantees that certified products use a restricted quantity of hazardous substances as well as a limited amount of resources, the commission official said, adding that all products are also performance and quality tested.
The current version of the labelling scheme, the criteria for which were set in 2014, restricts the use of colophony resins, a general term for rosin, to a limit below 100 parts per million, or 0.01pc by weight. According to the 2014 document, the restrictions on the use of colophony resins for adhesive materials also include gum rosin, tall oil rosin (TOR) and resin and rosin acids, which are classified by the European Chemicals Agency as skin irritants.
"The legislation wasn't clear regarding the use of rosin derivatives," an adhesives manufacturer said.
"There were also questions whether the restrictions over rosin were only limited to rosin or also included all derivatives," a rosin ester supplier said.
The commission official said colophony resins are "no longer directly mentioned among the restrictions related to adhesives" in the new Ecolabel criteria. The review has raised interest among suppliers because it acknowledges rosin is not used as a blend or mixture to make adhesives.
"Rosin esters, substances in their own right and not classified as skin irritants, are used as tackifiers and blend components in adhesives," the commission said in a technical report released in June this year.
Long-term opportunities
The upcoming revision could unlock opportunities over the long term as adhesive manufacturers may seek to increase the content of bio-based materials in their formulations, market participants said. "Rosin esters [used as tackifiers into adhesives] for baby diapers would be a great market," said a trading manager at a Brazil-based pine chemicals producer, which also manufactures rosin esters.
The possibility of entering a new market comes at a time when rosin demand is depressed across the printing inks, paper sizing and adhesives markets in Europe. Rosin suppliers, which include gum rosin and TOR producers, are dealing with high inventories amid continued soft demand in Europe. The persistent downward price pressure is challenging their margins, according to sources in Brazil and Europe.
Brazilian gum rosin export prices were assessed at $900-950/t fob on 1 September, down by over 42pc from the $1,600-$1,650/t fob range seen in September 2022. Gum rosin is a raw material for the production of gum rosin esters.
Suppliers said adhesive formulators use WW (hydrogenated) hydrocarbon-based tackifiers in baby diapers because of competitive pricing, colour and its lack of odour. But some market participants disagree on how quickly rosin esters could be used as tackifiers in the baby diapers market.
"Adhesive manufacturers use hydrocarbon resins (HCRs) because of its [lack] of smell and pricing," a supplier in southern Europe said. "The use of rosin esters will be a mid-to-long term trend."
A TOR ester supplier said newer tall oil derivative products with a lower Gardner colour and low volatile compositions could address the colour and odour issues.
In the Americas, another supplier said that brands selling baby diapers are pushing for products with more bio-based content. "Brand owners are pressuring companies to bring more sustainable solutions," the supplier said. "Brand owners see value manufacturing products with more bio-based content. But we are still a year away or longer from seeing a bigger shift [towards the use of rosin esters]."
Another barrier for the use of rosin esters for baby diapers is the cytotoxicity, the toxicity caused because of the action of agents on living cells, a large adhesives manufacturer said. "It depends who is asking for the cytotoxicity test. If it is for Ecolabel, it may pass," a US supplier said.
Suppliers and a trader agreed the sustainability movement will be a key factor driving the use of rosin esters as tackifiers for baby diapers. "The idea is to improve the use of rosin esters through sustainability," a supplier in Europe said. "Adhesive tapes use a lot of HCR materials, and they don't have many options to improve their carbon footprint."
