08.15      Registration and refreshments
09.00      Chairman’s opening remarks 

09.15      The PVC Debate – History and prospects

• 1990s: Debates on chlorine, PVC, plasticisers and stabilisers
• 2000s: Various fact-based EU studies (recycling, risk assessments) and policy measures
• Outlook: has the debate now stabilised

Arnold Tukker, Manager Sustainable Innovation Programme, TNO

 09.45      Phthalates and their future in PVC applications

• REACH and regulatory update
• Ongoing studies and new scientific data
• Evolution of phthalates: markets and applications
• Advocacy and communications

Maggie Saykali, Sector Group Manager, CEFIC

10.15      Questions and answers
10.30      Break 

11.00      Regulatory review for food contact applications

• Overview of the current regulatory regime for food contact applications
• Future developments
• Challenges ahead

Dr. Anna Gergely, Director, EHS Regulatory, Steptoe & Johnson LLP

11.30      Regulatory developments affecting PVC resin manufacturing and PVC waste

• The European Trading Scheme for CO₂
• The future Construction Products Regulation (CPR)
• REACH (PVC, monomer, impact on recycling)
• The new Waste Framework Directive

Arjen Sevenster, Manager Technical and Environmental Affairs, European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM)

12.00      Questions and answers
12.15      Lunch

13.30      Risk assessment of PVC usage 

• Environmental usage
• Pros and cons
• The future of PVC-type materials

John Mason, Managing Director, Streamco Ltd 

14.00       Plasticisers in medical applications

• DEHP: current status
• Exposure: overview on DEHP exposure in medical applications
• Labelling requirements according to 2007/47/EC
• New toxicological data regarding human relevance
• Alternatives to DEHP (SCENIHR. FDA) and the status of the alternatives

Dr. Rainer Otter, Head Regulatory Toxicology Chemicals, BASF

14.30      Questions and answers
14.45      Break 

15.15      Exposure assessment to phthalates by human biomonitoring

• Everyday body burdens
• Pathway assessment
• Job-related exposures
• Outlook

Dr. rer nat Holger M. Koch, Lab-Head, BGFA – Research Institute of Occupational Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum

15.45      New research:  DEHP and male reproduction function

• Summary of previous research and published results
• Explanation of new research study
• Findings and conclusions
• Identifying further areas of phthalate research

Prof. Dr. med. Caroline Herr, University of Giessen, Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine 

16.15       PANEL DISCUSSION
                    The future for plasticisers in a public health regulatory environment modeled on the precautionary principle

• How should – and can – plasticiser manufacturers and users respond?

              John Mason, Managing Director, Streamco Ltd
              Dr. Rainer Otter, Head Regulatory Toxicology Chemicals, BASF
              Prof. Dr. med. Caroline Herr, University of Giessen, Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine
              Dr. Nigel Sarginson, Communications Committee Manager, European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI)

16.45       Close of day one
16.45       Drinks reception for all attendees

THURSDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2010

08.30      Refreshments
09.00      Chairman’s opening remarks

 09.15     The public psychology surrounding chemicals

Ole Grondahl Hansen, General Manager, PVC Information Council Denmark

09.45      PVC development possibilities

• Production cost, new types, quality, etc
• PVC nanocomposites, limits and possibilities
• Modification during processing, orientation, additives

Dr Kalman Marossy, Professor Polymer Engineering Department, University of Miskolc

10.15      Bio-based plasticisers for increased safety and environmental sustainability

• More bio-based manufacturers are entering into the arena – greater credibility and critical mass
• Bio-based solutions open new avenues
• The concept of ‘growing your own chemicals’ is attractive

Senior Representative, Danisco

10.45      Questions and answers
11.00      Break

11.30      New alternative high solvating plasticiser compositions for PVC plastisols

• Brief overview of the performance in PVC systems
• Toxicity and regulatory review

Dr. Martin Stimpson, Industry Manager - Plasticisers, Eastman Company UK Ltd

12.00      Appeal of decisions under REACH

• Appeals before the Board of Review
• Appeals before the European Courts
• Opportunities brought about by the Lisbon Treaty

Darren Abrahams, Barrister, Partner, Steptoe & Johnson LLP

12.30      Questions and answers
12.45      Lunch 

14.00      Successful development of REACH-friendly liquid mixed metal stabilisers

• Background to REACH legislation and the implications: short and long term
• Customer needs and targets in relation to the changes
• Difficulties and hurdles in the development of these products
• What we have achieved and the future

Giuseppe Spina, Technical Service Manager, Baerlocher Italia S.p.A. Lodi, Italy

14.30      Characterisation of changes in PVC

• Ageing
• Migration
• Environmental aspects

Dr. Robin West, Technical Director, Winnats Scientific Services

15.00      Questions and answers
15.15      Close of Day 2