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Lactic acid

EC / List no.: 200-018-0

CAS no.: 50-21-5

Mol. formula: C3H6O3

formula

Danger! According to the classification provided by companies to ECHA in REACH registrations this substance causes severe skin burns and eye damage and causes serious eye damage.

This substance is registered under the REACH Regulation and is manufactured in and / or imported to the European Economic Area, at ≥ 100 to < 1 000 tonnes per annum.

This substance is used by consumers, in articles, by professional workers (widespread uses), in formulation or re-packing, at industrial sites and in manufacturing.

Biocidal Uses

This substance is approved in the EEA and/or Switzerland for use in biocidal products more favourable for the environment, human or animal health. It is an authorised food additive.

This substance is used by consumers, in articles, by professional workers (widespread uses), in formulation or re-packing, at industrial sites and in manufacturing.

Consumer Uses

This substance is used in the following products: adhesives and sealants, anti-freeze products, biocides (e.g. disinfectants, pest control products), fillers, putties, plasters, modelling clay, finger paints, non-metal-surface treatment products, pH regulators and water treatment products, lubricants and greases, polishes and waxes and washing & cleaning products.
Other release to the environment of this substance is likely to occur from: outdoor use and indoor use as processing aid.

Article service life

Release to the environment of this substance can occur from industrial use: industrial abrasion processing with low release rate (e.g. cutting of textile, cutting, machining or grinding of metal), industrial abrasion processing with high release rate (e.g. sanding operations or paint stripping by shot-blasting) and of articles where the substances are not intended to be released and where the conditions of use do not promote release.
Other release to the environment of this substance is likely to occur from: outdoor use in long-life materials with low release rate (e.g. metal, wooden and plastic construction and building materials), outdoor use in long-life materials with high release rate (e.g. tyres, treated wooden products, treated textile and fabric, brake pads in trucks or cars, sanding of buildings (bridges, facades) or vehicles (ships)), indoor use in long-life materials with low release rate (e.g. flooring, furniture, toys, construction materials, curtains, foot-wear, leather products, paper and cardboard products, electronic equipment) and indoor use in long-life materials with high release rate (e.g. release from fabrics, textiles during washing, removal of indoor paints).
This substance can be found in complex articles, with no release intended: vehicles.
This substance can be found in products with material based on: metal (e.g. cutlery, pots, toys, jewellery), rubber (e.g. tyres, shoes, toys), wood (e.g. floors, furniture, toys), plastic (e.g. food packaging and storage, toys, mobile phones), stone, plaster, cement, glass and ceramic used for large surface area articles (e.g. construction and building materials for floor coverings, isolation articles) and stone, plaster, cement, glass or ceramic.

Widespread uses by professional workers

This substance is used in the following products: pH regulators and water treatment products, adhesives and sealants, anti-freeze products, biocides (e.g. disinfectants, pest control products), fillers, putties, plasters, modelling clay, finger paints, non-metal-surface treatment products, lubricants and greases, polishes and waxes and laboratory chemicals.
This substance is used in the following areas: agriculture, forestry and fishing, health services and printing and recorded media reproduction.
This substance is used for the manufacture of: chemicals, food products, textile, leather or fur, wood and wood products, pulp, paper and paper products, rubber products, plastic products, mineral products (e.g. plasters, cement) and furniture.
Other release to the environment of this substance is likely to occur from: outdoor use, indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners), indoor use in close systems with minimal release (e.g. cooling liquids in refrigerators, oil-based electric heaters) and outdoor use in close systems with minimal release (e.g. hydraulic liquids in automotive suspension, lubricants in motor oil and break fluids).

Formulation or re-packing

This substance is used in the following products: fertilisers.
Release to the environment of this substance can occur from industrial use: formulation of mixtures and formulation in materials.

Uses at industrial sites

This substance is used in the following products: pH regulators and water treatment products, laboratory chemicals, coating products, non-metal-surface treatment products, washing & cleaning products, water treatment chemicals, adhesives and sealants and lubricants and greases.
This substance is used in the following areas: mining and building & construction work.
This substance is used for the manufacture of: chemicals, food products and plastic products.
Release to the environment of this substance can occur from industrial use: in the production of articles, in processing aids at industrial sites, as an intermediate step in further manufacturing of another substance (use of intermediates), as processing aid, for thermoplastic manufacture, as processing aid and of substances in closed systems with minimal release.

Manufacture

Release to the environment of this substance can occur from industrial use: manufacturing of the substance.

The InfoCard summarises the non-confidential data on substances as held in the databases of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), including data provided by third parties. The InfoCard is automatically generated. Information requirements under different legislative frameworks may therefore not be up–to–date or complete. Substance manufacturers and importers are responsible for consulting official publications. This InfoCard is covered by the ECHA Legal Disclaimer.

ECHA logo about INFOCARD - Last updated: 20/01/2024