The European Union (EU) enacted a regulation for the Registration, Evaulation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, or REACH (in short), which aims to reduce human health and environmental risks caused by chemicals. The new law entered into force on 1 June 2007. The REACH regulation gives greater responsibility to industry and manufacturers to manage the risks from chemicals and to provide safety information on the substances.

European Chemical Agency (ECHA) has been established to manage this regulation which affects products being imported into the EU including power cords. The agency act as the central point in the REACH system to manage the databases and to co-ordinate the in-depth evaluation of suspicious chemicals and run a public database in which consumers and professionals can find hazard information. Part of this database is a list of SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern), also known as the Candidate List which require notification from 1-June-2011 if any such substances in the list are indeed used in the products imported to EU.

From the Candidate list, phthalate esters such as DEHP (bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate), BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate) and DBP (di-butyl phthalate) were of high concern as these are commonly used polymer products, mainly as plasticisers in formulation of flexible PVC (polyvinyl chloride) for power cords. Release of DEHP to the environment, which is in the category of toxic chemical, may leak out during production, processing and waste disposal since it does not bind with plastics. Not all PVC products contain DEHP as different type of plasticisers are being used for different temperature rating in various type of cable example Non-migration cable etc.

As part of Volex Power Product's commitment to Green environment and in line with the REACH regulation, all products formulated with DEHP(DOP) : Bis (2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate / Di-octyl Phthalate will be phase-out and replaced with DINP : Diisononyl Phthalate.

DINP has a lower volatility than DEHP so the aging and migration properties improve as compared to DEHP. DNIP which has a higher molecular weight than DEHP also has a better high temperature performance and extraction resistance. Conclusion is that DINP provides benefit performance over DEHP with no carcinogenic (a cancer causing substance) effect. The adoption of DINP to substitute DEHP is an added advantage for better performed properties on compound and a drive towards preventing health risk to the consumers.