The European region struggled with the rising inflation that caused energy prices to rise leading to higher production costs thereby, negatively impacting the prices of titanium dioxide. The transportation routes were further disrupted along with the uncertainties in the construction and automotive industries. In addition to this, the offtakes and purchasing behaviour of the end-user consumers also declined, fueling the declining price trendss for titanium dioxide.

Where does titanium dioxide come from?

Although barium sulfate is almost completely inert, zinc sulfide degrades upon exposure to UV light, leading to darkening of the pigment. The severity of this UV reaction is dependent on a combination of two factors; how much zinc sulfide makes up the pigments formulation, and its total accumulated UV exposure. Depending on these factors the pigment itself can vary in shade over time, ranging from pure white all the way to grey or even black. To suppress this effect, a dopant may be used, such as a small amount of cobalt salts, which would be added to the formulation. This process creates cobalt-doped zinc sulfide. The cobalt salts help to stabilize zinc sulfide so it will not have as severe a reaction to UV exposure.

What does this court ruling mean for regulation?

A European ban of titanium dioxide in food took effect in 2022, but it is still legal for use in food in the U.S.