Afirm Ortho Phenylphenol
Afirm Ortho Phenylphenol
Afirm Ortho Phenylphenol
ORTHO-PHENYLPHENOL (OPP)
equipment, chemical storage facilities, facility engineering controls, and associated treatment/disposal facilities
are appropriate for the chemical(s).
Safer Alternatives
As each Apparel or Footwear brand may handle preservation chemistries differently, the starting point is to engage with
the specific brand to gather details about their individual requirements. There are alternatives available for OPP,
depending on the preservation needed and the biology of the affected material. Each application is unique and requires
a review of efficacy of the treatment.
▪ The proper (minimum effective) amount of any biocide needs to be determined to avoid over-application of this
class of chemistry.
▪ Specific considerations of wastewater treatment need to be made any time a biocidal chemistry is in use, to
avoid release into the environment.
Additional Information
Visit ECHA’s Candidate List of substances of very high concern to view dossiers for many restricted substances
https://echa.europa.eu/candidate-list-table.
OPP is a well-known preserving agent in the leather industry that is listed in the REACH Biocidal Product Rule (BPR).
In general, a single preservative such as OPP should not be used alone for extended periods of time. This type of use
can lead to a buildup of resistance which makes the treatment ineffective.
References
1 Appareland Footwear International RSL Management Group (Ed.). (2018, January 31). Restricted Substances List
(RSL). Retrieved http://afirm-group.com/afirm-rsl/
2 Institutefor Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance. (n.d.). Biphenyl-2-ol. Retrieved
August, 15, 2017, from http://gestis-
en.itrust.de/nxt/gateway.dll/gestis_en/000000.xml?f=templates$fn=default.htm$vid=gestiseng:sdbeng$3.