Cyclosiloxanes: EU restricts use and placing on the market

The EU has published Regulation 2024/1328 and amended the list of restricted substances, Annex XVII of REACH Regulation 1907/2006. The EU is thus restricting the use and placing on the market of the three cyclosiloxanes octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6). The restriction comes into force on June 6, 2026.

The consequences

This means that D4, D5 and D6 may no longer be placed on the market after this deadline - namely

as fabric
as a component of other substances or
in mixtures in a concentration of 0.1 wt.-% or more of the respective substance

Exemptions and extended deadlines apply for individual uses, which range from 2027 to 2034.

The use

D4, D5 and D6 are used to produce silicone polymers, which are used in a wide range of industries due to their useful properties, including

in the automotive industry,
in the construction industry,
in the electrical and electronics industry, including the construction of solar panels and wind turbines,
in the semiconductor industry,
in the defense and aviation industries,
for the manufacture of medical products.

Do you have questions regarding the legal compliance of your products? We are happy to help you at sales@kft.de.