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Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light

  • Aliphatic solvents
  • CAS 64741-89-5
  • IUPAC: Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light paraffinic

Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light (CAS 64741-89-5) appears in 1 of the 2,180 car-care products CarCareTruth tracks (as of September 2026). It is classified as a VOC.

Severely refined petroleum base oil. The refining step removes the polycyclic aromatics that make unrefined distillates carcinogenic, so this grade is not listed as a carcinogen. Its notable hazard is aspiration: swallowing it and then vomiting can draw the oil into the lungs, which is why the neat material carries Asp. Tox. 1 (H304). Finished mixtures thickened past 20.5 square millimetres per second kinematic viscosity are exempt from that classification under CLP.

Solvent-refined light paraffinic distillate is one of the plain mineral base oils that shows up throughout car care. In a cutting compound it is the lubricant: it wets the abrasive, carries it across the clear coat, and stretches the working time so the product does not flash off before you have finished a section.

The "solvent-refined" part of the name is the important bit. Raw vacuum distillates contain polycyclic aromatic compounds that are genuinely carcinogenic; the solvent extraction step strips them out. A severely refined grade like this one is not a listed carcinogen, and its Section 3 entry usually carries a note to that effect.

What it does carry at neat strength is an aspiration hazard, H304. That risk is about swallowing the oil, not about handling it, and a finished compound thick enough to sit on a pad is normally exempt from the classification anyway because of its viscosity. Section 9 of the product's own safety data sheet is where that exemption gets settled.

Health & environment profile

VOC
yes
Prop 65 listed
no
Asthmagen
no
EPA Safer Choice
no
Aquatic toxicity
no
Biodegradable
no
Bioaccumulative
no
Persistent
yes
Ozone depleting
no
Microplastic
no
PFAS
no
Env. score
3/5
Purpose: Light paraffinic base oil that lubricates the abrasive slurry in a polishing compound and keeps working time long enough to finish a panel section

Common questions about Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light

What is Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light used for in car care?
Light paraffinic base oil that lubricates the abrasive slurry in a polishing compound and keeps working time long enough to finish a panel section
Is Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light a VOC?
Yes. Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light is classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC).
Is Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light on California's Proposition 65 list?
No. Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light is not on California's Proposition 65 list.

1 product contain this

Related

Health and environment notes translate the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet, the GHS classification, and authoritative regulatory listings (California Prop 65, EPA). Not medical advice. They describe the ingredient itself; whether a hazard applies to a finished product depends on its concentration and how it's used.