Titanium dioxide - the indispensable ingredient - or is it?

 
Titanium dioxide was first manufactured on a commercial scale in 1916, but initially it was regarded as an expensive specialty, compared against basic lead carbonate, which was the white pigment preferred by most paintmakers. Widespread usage of TiO2 pigments began in the 1950s, stimulated by cheaper supplies of high-quality product from more and more suppliers, together with toxicity concerns and regulations on the use of lead pigments. For the past 40 years, TiO2 - prized for its opacifying ability and brilliant whiteness - has been generally regarded as a safe and practically indispensable ingredient in paints, plastics and printing inks. Thanks to its UV-absorbing ability, TiO2 has also become an essential ingredient in sunblocking cosmetics and thin-film plastic packaging. However, the ongoing usage of TiO2 is now threatened by an increasingly serious "public image" problem due to health and safety concerns, which may or may not be justified. This paper discusses questions such as: "What is the scale of TiO2 consumption? Is it really indispensable? What would be the impact of restricting TiO2 usage?" Key topics will include: An overview of the TiO2 pigment industry - past present future supply/demand/prices End-use sectors demand trends & prigment product technical criteria Major producers & major consumers Methods & cost factors involved in conventional TiO2 manufacturing methods Regulatory status of TiO2 as an ingredient in end-use products Perceived disadvantages of TiO2 - health hazards, carbon footprint, price volatility Alternative technologies for making TiO2 Potential total or partial substitutes for TiO2