Pentachlorophenol is a kind of antiseptics, anti -mildew agents mainly used in textile, leather goods, wood, weaving sizing agents and printing color sizing. PCP is a heavy poison testing by animal experiment, teratogensis and carcinogenicity to human. PCP will release notorious Dioxins when burning, damaging to the environment.

Tetrachlorophnols is also a kind of antiseptics, anti -mildew agents. The compound of TeCP will irritate to skin, eyes and respiratory tract, lead to acute effect on metabolism and remarkable damage of certain organs in central nervous system. International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC) judge 2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorphnol possible human carcinogen. But the data is not a conclusion.

There are not enough data about trichlorophenol effects on human. So special attention is needed.

EU has limited the usage of pentachlorophenol, entachlorophenol sodium and other their compounds by laws. According to Directive 91/173/EEC issued on 5 April 1991, the greatest concentration of PCP allowable is 1000 ppm. The sum of pentachlorophenol, entachlorophenol sodium and other their compounds shall not exceed 5 ppm and prohibition on import and trade in which PCP content exceed 5 ppm in chemical laws of Germany on 14 Oct 1993. Holand did the same as Germany on 18 Feb 1994. Other countries in EU adopt the same regulation such as Sweden. PCP is banned by Environmental Protection Agency USA in leather goods. Besides, Oeko TexStandard 100 of Chinese Okeo-Tex Standard and International Association for Research and Testing in the Field of Textile Ecology regulates that residual PCP shall not exceed 0.5 mg/kg (products for babies shall not exceed 0.05 mg/kg).