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"Expert hearing of the Umweltbundesamt"
Berlin, March 13-14, 2000
During a public discussion with experts of the Umweltbundesamt (UBA) [note: the UBA is the German equivalent to Environmental Protection Agency in the USA] about organotin compounds, which was held in Berlin on March 13 and 14, the Organotin Environmental Program Association (ORTEPA) asked to make the discussion more objective: "We appreciate the initiative of the Umweltbundesamt because now there is a chance for bringing facts into a discussion, which is strongly influenced by emotion", says Dr. Ulrich Stewen, vice chairman of ORTEPA.
Lately, the public has been confused by reports about apparently health threatening trace-levels of tributyltin compounds (TBT) in textiles. This discussion should not be generalized to all organotin compounds. It has to be clearly differentiated between TBT compounds on one side and monoalkyltin and dialkyltin compounds on the other side, which are substantially less toxic. For forty years, these compounds were used as stabilizers and catalysts in many useful and absolutely safe products made out of plastics. Recently, organotin stabilizers became newly classified and declared as useful in plastic packing materials. (European Commission, SCF, Synoptic Document, updated January 2000)
On the other hand, because of their properties as biocides, TBT compounds are used in antifouling paints for underwater coating of ocean vessels. Antifouling paints significantly reduce the fuel consumption of ships and prevent the introduction of foreign organism into ecosystems. Today, the industry voluntarily has developed self-polishing antifouling paints, which release significantly less TBT into the environment. In recent years the TBT concentration in the ocean has decreased constantly. At no point has there existed a risk to human health.
ORTEPA was founded in 1978 and is in strong collaboration with internationally recognized independent institutes. The organization has set as its goal the distribution of scientific and technological information about environmental effects of organotin compounds.
For further information contact:
Dr Ulrich Stewen, Vice Chairman, ORTEP Association
Phone 001 914 593 4045