On October 30, 2025, the non-profit think tank Planet Tracker and the Safer Chemistry Impact Fund released a report assessing the hazard profiles of 18,020 plastic additive product portfolios of major additive producers. Each plastic additive product can contain several chemicals that modify material properties, including those of food contact materials. The analysis was designed primarily for investors, emphasizing the role they can play in accelerating a transition toward safer chemical use. According to the authors, improved chemical safety practices can benefit human and environmental health while reducing potential long-term financial risks for chemical manufacturers, downstream users, and their investors (FPF reported and here).
The report identifies a significant lack of publicly available information on many of these additives. The authors conclude that limited transparency prevents investors from accurately evaluating potential liabilities or incorporating safety-related risks into financial decision-making.
The study examined over 18,000 plastic additive products listed on the SpecialChem platform, documenting supplier information, product descriptions, and industrial applications. A Large Language Model (LLM) was used to match each product to one or more underlying chemicals and associated CAS numbers, based on the product description, industrial applications, and on the known chemical processes utilized to create common additive products. Further details on this matching process are not described. Of the 18,020 additive products reviewed, 55% were successfully mapped to at least one chemical. These chemicals were then assigned a hazard-level through collaboration with ChemFORWARD and cross-referenced with both the Wiesinger et al. (2021) dataset of 10,000 plastic additives and the ChemSec Substitute It Now (SIN) list. ChemFORWARD categorizes chemicals into eight hazard categories, ranging from “A” (lowest hazard) to “F” (highest hazard).
Their findings indicate that 45% of the additive products include undisclosed chemical components. Among the assessed chemicals, 25% fell into the highest hazard category, a group that includes bisphenols and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). In addition, 11% of products contain chemicals without any available hazard data.
To increase transparency and reduce hazard-related risks, the authors recommend that investors promote clearer disclosure of chemicals, push for the release of safety data, and encourage hazard assessments for untested chemicals.
References
Planet Tracker and Safer Chemistry Impact Fund (October 30, 2025) “Toxic Additives: Analysing Product Portfolio Risk.”
Safer Chemistry Impact Fund (October 30, 2025) “Chemicals in almost half of plastic additive products cannot be identified, exposing investors to litigation and regulatory costs.”
