The use of chlorinated paraffins in PVC imparts a number of technical benefits, of which the most significant is the enhancement of flame retardant properties. This is particularly of benefit in PVC flooring and cables. Chlorinated paraffins are also used as plasticisers in paint, sealants and adhesives where the main advantages over alternatives are their inertness and the enhancement of flame-retardant properties. The other major outlet for chlorinated paraffins is in the formulation of metalworking lubricants where they have long been recognised as one of the most effective extreme pressure additives for lubricants used in a wide range of machining and engineering operations. In all of these applications, there is a long history of safe use and some major customers have been using chlorinated paraffins for over 50 years.
Chlorinated paraffins are of very low acute toxicity following a single exposure.
An equivalent dose in humans would be drinking about 250-600 ml of liquid Chlorinated Paraffin for an average person. In longer-term studies in laboratory animals, chlorinated paraffins produce toxic effects on the kidney and liver. This amount is many orders of magnitude higher than the highest exposure likely to be encountered in industrial conditions and conditions under which people are likely to be exposed in everyday life. During industrial use, we are normally concerned only with the latter two. Since the vapour pressure of chlorinated paraffins is very low, exposure to CP vapour by inhalation is minimal.