Cancarb’s N990CG Meets PAH Regulations in U.S. and Europe

Thermax^® N990CG from Cancarb Limited meets U.S. and European Union (EU) regulations for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), chemicals that have been classified as carcinogenic to humans. Thermax^® N990CG, a drop-in replacement for Thermax^® N990, is a thermal carbon black that was intentionally designed to have lower PAH content with sacrificing performance or quality.

As reported in Rubber News, Thermax^® N990CG meets EU 1272/2013 for consumer goods and EU 10/2011 standards for items that come into contact with food or drinking water. Examples include seals, gaskets, hoses, and belts. In July 2025, Cancarb announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its Food Contact Notification (FCN) for Thermax^® N990CG.

Cancarb developed Thermax^® N990CG at its facility in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, and began manufacturing it there during a $31.8 million expansion project. Tokai Carbon Japan, Cancarb’s parent company, approved the investment and supported the 2022 product launch of Thermax^® N990CG to help customers meet current and future standards for low-PAH products.

In the rubber industry, thermal carbon blacks are used to improve mechanical properties like tensile strength and abrasion resistance. These filler materials have inherently higher PAH concentrations than furnace-grade thermal carbon blacks, but Thermax^® N990CG was designed to meet low-PAH regulations. This led to its initial popularity in Europe, which has strict regulations for drinking water systems.

Among its many applications, Thermax^® N990CG is suitable for use in EPDM gaskets that contact drinking water. This thermal carbon black also meets requirements for NSF 61, a U.S. standard for evaluating the health effect of drinking water system components. Now that Thermax^® N990CG has earned an FCN from the FDA, Cancarb anticipates greater demand in U.S. markets.

For more information about Thermax^® N990CG applications, register for this free webinar on November 19, 2025. This live event is part of the 2025 RDAbbott Webinar Series.