Evonik achieves exceptional siloxane additive purity, ensuring EU regulatory compliance, sustainability, uninterrupted performance, and reliable solutions for coatings and inks.
Evonik Coating Additives has reinforced its commitment to sustainability, regulatory compliance, and high-performance solutions by setting a new benchmark for purity within its siloxane-based additives portfolio for coatings and printing inks. Through advanced manufacturing practices, continuous process improvements, and the careful selection of premium raw materials, the company has successfully minimized the presence of regulated siloxane impurities across the majority of its product range.
Comprehensive analytical testing has confirmed that more than 95% of Evonik’s active siloxane-based coating additives contain less than 0.1% of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs). This achievement allows these products to remain suitable for applications requiring compliance with environmental standards, including paints and inks carrying Ecolabel certifications. By maintaining impurity levels well below critical regulatory thresholds, Evonik enables customers to continue using its established siloxane-based TEGO® additives without the need for costly reformulation or replacement with expensive highly purified alternatives.
The development comes at a crucial time as the European Union continues to tighten environmental and chemical safety regulations under the REACH framework and the updated Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulation. Certain low-molecular-weight siloxanes have been identified as SVHCs due to their persistence in the environment and their tendency to accumulate in living organisms. The revised regulations introduce additional hazard classifications for persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) substances as well as very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances. Products containing these substances at concentrations of 0.1% or higher are now subject to mandatory classification and labeling requirements.
Linear and cyclic siloxanes commonly occur as residual components in many siloxane materials. However, their concentration can be significantly lowered through stringent raw material control, optimized production techniques, and advanced purification strategies. Evonik’s investment in process excellence has enabled it to substantially reduce these compounds, ensuring that the overwhelming majority of its siloxane additives comply with current and anticipated regulatory expectations.
The company’s proactive approach provides substantial benefits to coating and ink manufacturers worldwide. Customers can maintain existing formulations while preserving the performance characteristics that siloxane additives deliver, such as improved surface properties, flow, leveling, wetting, and overall application quality. At the same time, manufacturers gain confidence that their products remain aligned with evolving environmental regulations without facing disruptions in supply chains or increased development costs.
According to Kristina Meier, Global Head of Product Line Silicone & Acetylenics at Evonik Coating Additives, the company’s ability to anticipate regulatory changes and offer solutions that combine technical performance with compliance demonstrates its dedication to supporting customers and industry partners. The achievement reflects Evonik’s broader strategy of integrating sustainability, innovation, and regulatory expertise into its product development efforts.
To support transparency and facilitate compliance, Evonik provides customers with easy access to updated Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and detailed regulatory information through its digital platform, allowing users to stay informed about product specifications and regulatory status.
Evonik Coating Additives maintains an extensive portfolio of solutions designed for a wide range of coating and ink technologies. These include additives for waterborne systems, solvent-borne formulations, radiation-curable coatings, and various printing and inkjet ink applications. The company’s focus on developing environmentally responsible technologies positions it as a reliable partner for industries facing increasingly strict sustainability requirements.
The latest regulatory developments from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) have expanded the list of SVHCs to include several short-chain linear and branched siloxanes, including L3 (Octamethyltrisiloxane), L4 (Decamethyltetrasiloxane), and M3T (1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyl-3-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]trisiloxane), due to their very persistent and very bioaccumulative characteristics. Additionally, cyclic siloxanes D4, D5, and D6 have been classified as SVHCs since 2018 because of their PBT and vPvB concerns.
With labeling obligations for substances already effective since May 2025 and extending to mixtures from May 2026 under the updated EU CLP regulation, the coatings and inks industry faces increasing pressure to adapt. Evonik’s early action and rigorous quality standards provide customers with a future-ready solution that ensures regulatory readiness, sustainable product development, and consistent high-level performance.
