Phenolic plastic is very strong and has high heat resistance. It has many applications including automotive and electrical. It is also used in appliances, laminates, and housings.

Phenolic is used for plastic to add up high impact strength, excellent wear characteristics and dimensional stability over a wide temperature range.

According to the website www.phenolicpcc.com/phenolic.html‎ it can. No details given.

It may be a plastic, or it may be Bakelite (a phenolic resin product) but either way, it is there because is is not a conductor, but an insulator. It protects you, the user, from electrical shock.

No, it will soften and or fog the phenolic plastic housing. Try mothers polishing kit.