Stabiliser manufacturer Chemson Pacific have moved to new premises and in doing so, moved into a new era of lead free stabiliser manufacture. In their drive to achieve even better sustainability outcomes for PVC products, they will no longer manufacture lead based stabilisers in Australia. In taking this step, they have become the first Chemson site globally to be fully lead free.

Their shift away from the use of heavy metal stabilisers is in tune with the position of PIPA members (through their commitments to the PVC Industry Product Stewardship Program). It is also in keeping with our industry's successful drive to exclude heavy metal stabilisers from Australian PVC pipe products. Soon all Australian Standards for PVC pipe products will exclude the use of heavy metal stabilisers.

The Australian PVC industry, and the pipe sector in particular, have been leading the move away from heavy metal stabilisers. Chemson Pacific have been a large part of that success, as they are the first to introduce organic based stabiliser (OBS) systems into Australia. The move away from lead and heavy metal stabiliser systems for PVC pipe is not because of any issues with the finished product, but rather to assist upstream manufacturers in the supply chain to manage the OH&S issues associated with handling lead based products.

This new site needs none of the specialist Personal Protective Equipment used in the past and is a purpose built facility that accommodates Chemson's current and future production needs.