Questions and answers on naphthalene in consumer products

BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment FAQ of 3 November 2016

Naphthalene belongs to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAH for short. Naphthalene is obtained primarily through the refinement of aromatic crude oil fractions and - especially in bygone years - from coal tar as well. As a combustion product of organic materials, naphthalene occurs in low concentrations virtually everywhere in the environment.

Due to the current discussions about naphthalene in consumer products, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfRshort forGerman Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) has compiled some questions and answers on the subject in the following paragraphs.