Crespel & Deiters highlights borax-free adhesives to meet EU chemical rules

Crespel & Deiters is addressing EU regulations around borox toxicity with its Definol high-performance adhesives for corrugated packaging. The solution is said to be free from borax, a boron-containing mineral compound, with no additional labels or documentation required. 

The EU’s classification, packaging, and labeling of chemicals (CLP) regulation now requires manufacturers to consider the combined contribution of certain boron compounds, such as borax, when determining whether mixtures meet the concentration threshold for a reproductive-toxicity classification. 

According to Crespel & Deiters, boron ethanolamine is now subject to additional labeling requirements. The company says that this required extra work for corrugated board manufacturers, such as updated safety data sheets, new documentation, and additional staff training.

Dirk Köllmeier, head of sales for Industrial Solutions at Crespel & Deiters, says: “This regulatory tightening in the EU shows the importance of forward-looking raw material management. That’s why our Definol portfolio has been borax-free for several years now, thus giving customers planning security and reliability.”

Earlier this year, the EU Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement simplifying the rules of CLP regulation for packaging, cosmetics, and fertilizing products.

In November last year, the EU Council approved delaying the start date for several updated rules in the CLP Regulation. This was done to provide businesses with more time and legal certainty and will take effect in January 2028. 

Alternative compounds 

The borax-free Definol range can be applied to high-speed corrugators. Crespel & Deiters says that Definol uses alternative boron compounds that “temporarily cross-link the starch and determine how quickly the adhesive sets.” 

Crespel & Deiters underscores that “free from borax” is not the same as “free from boron,” as some adhesives still contain boron compounds currently classified as less critical. Corrugated board manufacturers who seek a fully boron-free adhesive are advised to opt for the company’s Zerobor range, built for production speeds of up to 200 meters per minute.

Last month, a research team at Saitama University, Japan, examined the synthesis of defect-engineered carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and their incorporation into polyvinyl alcohol composite films as a potential approach to addressing plastic waste. They revealed that boron-doped polyamide CQDs can serve as multifunctional additives for UV-protective food packaging.

Previously, researchers discovered that by introducing nitrogen and boron into plastics, the packaging industry could produce tailored precursor materials to generate nanodiamonds with impurities specifically useful for applications.