Significant reduction of brominated flame retardants emmissions in europe
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Significant reduction of brominated flame retardants emmissions in europe
Posted on May 11, 2015 by Henri VAHABI
Develop a process to separate brominated flame retardants from WEEE polymers
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Henri VAHABI
Final Report
Abstarct
This final report summarises the practical trials and process design work conducted during a three phase project funded by WRAP to develop a process to separate brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) polymers.
The work shows that the modified Creasolv1 process for extraction of brominated flame retardants from WEEE polymers has potential to be commercially viable in the UK context at a throughput of 10,000te/year. The Creasolv process was originally developed by Fraunhofer IVV in Germany and has been modified further in the course of this project in collaboration with Fraunhofer IVV.
The Creasolv process will remove most BFR types from styrenic WEEE polymers. Work done for this project has shown that styrenic polymers constitute over half of collectable WEEE polymers and that they contain the great majority of the BFRs found in WEEE thermoplastics. It is has not been tested with the newer BFR types such as brominated epoxy oligomers because these are not yet found in significant quantities in real WEEE….Read more 
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European Commission Decision- Ecolabel for textile products
Posted on September 17, 2014 by Henri VAHABI
EU Ecolabels recognise fire safety
Updated “ecological criteria” for the EU Flower Ecolabel for textile products (5thJune 2014) and for bed mattresses (23 June 2014) recognise fire safety and flame retardants as necessary to achieve this. Durabilityof flame retardancy is specified as a criterion for “fitness for use”. Substances subject to certain hazardclassifications are “derogated” (that is, accepted for use) where the product “is required to meet fire protection requirements in ISO, EN, Member State or public sector procurement standards and regulations ” European Commission Decision: CLICK HERE
Source: pinfa newsletter
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Sustainable Flame Retardant Technical Textile from Recycled Polyester (SUPERTEX)
Posted on July 13, 2014 by Henri VAHABI
The textile industry represents and important source of income and employment in Europe:
in 2005 the EU textile and clothing industry counted 155,000 enterprises employing more than 2.2 million people. Most of the production steps involved in the textile chain are not sustainable processes since they are chemicals consuming processes – such as finishing processes – and they are responsible for the production of large amount of waste, either wastewater and landfill waste. SUPERTEX project is aimed at demonstrating that a secondary raw material such as recycled Polyester (RPET) can be exploited within the Textile Industry for the fabrication of environmentally sustainable, high added value Technical Textile products.
Main objectives are: demonstration of the transferability of the production processes for PET multifilament yarns (MY) to RPET and recycled PET-polyolefin blends from post-industrial and post-consumer waste; addition of new functionalities (fire resistance) to the RPET-based MY; first application of RPET-based MY in the fabrication of textile structures for Mobiltech and Hometech markets.
Benefits
A wide usage of a waste materials, such as PET for the production of multifilament yarns, mainly applied in the Technical Textile sector.
Results
- Demonstration of the transferability of the production processes for PET multifilament yarns (MY) to RPET and recycled PET-polyolefin blends from post-industrial and post-consumer waste. A marketable price in the range 2.0 – 3.0 €/kg is expected
- A production technology for a range of textile materials based on RPET MY with different fineness, mechanical and functional properties, and performance comparable or better than conventional products from virgin polymer
- Production of Flame Retardant (FR) textile by using safer products then the conventional products (alternative to antimony and halogenated compounds will be used)
- A significant impact of the RPET MY textile is expected both upstream (RPET feedstock global market) and downstream (Technical Textile market) through replacement of virgin PET and other polymers….Read more
Source: http://ec.europa.eu
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HBCDD consortium submits REACH authorisation dossier to ECHA
Posted on May 15, 2014 by Henri VAHABI
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) raw material manufacturers, participating in the hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) authorisation consortium successfully submitted an application for authorisation to the European Chemicals Agency by the 21 February deadline. Project managed by ReachCentrum with the technical support of PFA Ltd and eftec, submission occurred to obtain an extension of the use of HBCDD as a flame retardant in EPS insulation in the EU.
The consortium aim is to obtain an authorisation for the continued safe use of HBCDD in EPS, until a valid alternative is commercially available in adequate quantities, together with the necessary technical and certification approvals. Members want to ensure that their customers and related end users have a continued steady supply for use of flame retarded EPS for building insulation material. The EPS raw material producers are committed to changing from HBCDD to an alternative as soon as possible, within legal deadlines and satisfying technical approvals.
Sufficient supply of building insulation materials is crucial for the European Union to achieve its goals of energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint by appropriate insulation of new buildings and by renovation of existing buildings. EPS has been used broadly for this application for decades and is present in the vast majority of Europe’s buildings. HBCDD is still the main, commercially available flame retardant for EPS. Flame retardant suppliers have started production of commercial quantities of alternative materials and the first applications in insulation products are being made available in the EU during 2014. Not all announced capacity for the HBCDD alternatives is currently on stream, however, meaning delays in the production development and technical approvals cannot be excluded. Members of the consortium are concerned that fully approved alternative flame retardants may not be available in sufficient commercial quantities before August 2015. Members are asking the EU for additional time to allow for a smooth market transition from HBCDD.
Background: HBCDD in buildings
One of the uses of HBCDD is as a flame retardant in EPS in buildings. HBCDD (CAS# 25637-99-4) is placed on Annex XIV of REACH, indicating that after the sunset date (21 August 2015, Official Journal of the European Union L49/52, dated 24.2.2011) the use of HBCDD in any application is prohibited unless the use in an application is granted. The application for authorisation of HBCDD in a specific use had to be submitted to ECHA at the latest by February 21, 2014.
Consortium members
The eight submitting members of the consortium, set up at the beginning of 2013, are: Ineos Styrenics, Monotez S.A., StyroChem Finland Oy, Sunpor Kunststoff GmbH Austria, Synbra Technology B.V., Synthos S.A, Unipol Holland B.V., Versalis S.p.A. These companies submitted jointly 13 applications for two uses.
Contact Francesca Furlan, ReachCentrum, at ffu@reachcentrum.eu or on +32.2.6767425.
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Environment and Human Health, Inc.’s New Flame-Retardant Report –
Posted on November 18, 2013 by Henri VAHABI
Stamfordplus:
Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), an organization of physicians and public health professionals, is releasing its research report calling for state and federal governments to institute new policies to protect the public from flame-retardant exposures. Flame-retardants are now ubiquitous in our environment. They are found in almost all consumer products and pose health risks to fetuses, infants, children and the human population as a whole.
The report closely examines the health risks that flame-retardants pose to the general population and recommends sweeping policy changes to protect the public. The report examines the history of flame-retardants and demonstrates the enormous scope of the problem, noting that flame-retardants can now be found in the bodies of polar bears and whales, showing how far they have spread.
John Wargo, Ph.D., first author of the report and the Tweedy-Ordway Professor of Environmental Health and Political Science at Yale University, said, “Synthetic flame-retardants can now be found in the tissues of most people in the United States. Many flame-retardants are persistent and bioaccumulate in our bodies. Flame-retardants are not required to undergo health and environmental testing, and they are not required to be labeled on the products that contain them. Because exposures to flame-retardants carry health risks, they should only be used when the risk of fire outweighs the risk from flame-retardant exposures. When risk from fire is high, such as in airplanes, then the use of flame-retardants is warranted; when the risk from fire is low, flame-retardants should not be used.”
The history of flame-retardant use in the United States is a story of substituting one dangerous flame-retardant for another. The country lived through decades when asbestos was used as a fire-retardant. Then when asbestos was proven too dangerous to be used, the country moved over to PCBs, and five decades later, when PCBs were deemed too dangerous for use, the country moved on to chlorinated and brominated flame-retardants… Read more: source: click here
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Report- FLAME RETARDANT ALTERNATIVES FOR HEXABROMOCYCLODODECANE (HBCD)-September 2013
Posted on October 16, 2013 by Henri VAHABI
This report provides information on hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) used as a flame retardant in polystyrene building insulation, its possible substitutes, and alternative materials.
The report was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with input from a partnership of stakeholders from business, government, academia, and environmental organizations. According to technical experts on the Partnership, between 2011 and 2013 there were only two viable flame retardant alternatives to HBCD for use in expanded and extruded polystyrene foam (EPS and XPS) insulation under current manufacturing processes. Alternative materials are also available as substitutes to HBCD-containing insulation. These alternatives may require additive flame retardants or other treatment to meet fire safety requirements… Read more…Donload Report
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EFRA: In response to a recent study released by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Posted on September 17, 2013 by Henri VAHABI
In response to a recent study released by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences(NIEHS) suggesting that certain flame retardants can mimic estrogen, the European Flame Retardant Association (EFRA) issued the following statement:
The crystallographic methodology used in this study, while perhaps offering insight into how estrogen mimicking might occur, provides no evidence that TBBPA, which is known to be quickly metabolized, actually comes in contact with the relevant proteins in the human body. It is unclear why NIEHS chose to use this approach, when the US Environmental Protection Agency has spent many years identifying three tests for estrogenic activity as part of a Congressionally mandated
program for screening substances for potential hormonal activity.
Furthermore, TBBPA went through an 8-year EU Risk Assessment which concluded that TBBPA is safe for use in all its applications and has no significant endocrine potential [1]. This conclusion was also confirmed by the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER). In addition, TBBPA was among the substances examined for its potential role in endocrine disruption as part of an EU project [2] …. Read more: click here
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European Annual Progress Report 2012: VECAP
Posted on April 11, 2013 by Henri VAHABI
VECAP aims to reduce the potential for emissions of flame retardants by raising awareness of responsible substance management and by promoting environmental best practice, from producers to downstream users, in the workplace. Although this programme does not deal with potential emissions during the service life of products or after their disposal, the flame retardant industry is actively involved in end-of-life issues management…read more: click here
Highlights of 2012 report:
– Reduction of potential emissions for the three main brominated flame retardants, according to survey results from the last 5 years
– 93% of the volume sold by EFRA member companies covered by the programme
– Increased coverage for HBCD and further reduction of potential emissions to air and land
– TBBPA potential emissions remained consistent at the lowest achievable level
– 11 manufacturing and user sites now certified globally
– CEFIC awarded a commendation to the VECAP programme
– Everkem, an importer of flame retardants, joined the programme
Source: http://www.cefic-efra.com
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Flame Retardants: Design for Environment and End-of-Life – is there a life after WEEE, RoHS and REACH?
Posted on January 11, 2013 by Henri VAHABI
By: Dr. Adrian Beard-Clariant GmbH
Abstract
Flame retardants are a key element of the safety of many products of daily life and in the workplace environment. Many plastics, textiles and natural materials are quite flammable and burn well. In a number of application areas this fire risk has to be reduced by measures like the use of flame retardants – the E&E sector being one of the most prominent areas. However, there are concerns about the environmental and health properties of some flame retardants, in particular brominated systems. The European WEEE and RoHS directives have responded to these concerns and declared the phase out of PBBs (polybrominated biphenyls) and PBDEs (polybrominated diphenylethers) as well demanding the separation of plastics containing brominated flame retardants before further recycling operations. In expectance of these directives and the growing pressure on halogenated flame retardants, the flame retardants market has responded with an increasing demand for non-halogenated flame retardants. Phosphorus and nitrogen based as well as mineral flame retardants have experienced above average growth rates over the last years. Material recycling of flame retarded plastics is usually technically feasible – the major problem is how to obtain a continuous supply of input material which is well defined in its composition. Otherwise, only feedstock recycling or energy recovery are sensible options.
Download two pdf documents: Document 1 – Document 2
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Flame retardancy of polymers 