Flame retardants

Flame retardants can, for example, be found in protective clothing, textiles and furniture used in public settings, as well as in cables, wiring and electronic equipment. There are many different types of flame retardants, which achieve their function through various mechanisms. They are generally grouped into halogen-, phosphorus- and nitrogen-based flame retardants, as well as inorganic flame retardants. In some cases, combinations of these are used, and a flame retardant may also serve more than one function in the material in which it is used (for example, as a plasticizer).

Flame retardants that are not chemically bound to a material (reactively incorporated), but instead are mixed into the material (additively incorporated), have a greater potential to be released from the material throughout its life cycle.

Some flame retardants have hazardous properties

Some flame retardants have been shown to possess hazardous properties for human health and the environment, with brominated flame retardants being the most widely debated. Several of these substances are now regulated under legislation and may no longer be used in new products. Examples include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), and polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs). In many cases, these substances have been replaced by similar brominated compounds that have been found to exhibit similar properties.

One example of a brominated flame retardant that is still in use today is tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA). In some applications, it is used as a reactive flame retardant, but it is also added as an additive flame retardant in products such as electronic equipment housings. Due to its carcinogenic properties, TBBPA has been included on the Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHCs).

Examples of chlorinated flame retardants include chlorinated paraffins, which are also used as plasticizers. Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are regulated under the POPs Regulation, while medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) are in the process of becoming regulated as well.

In recent years, halogenated flame retardants have increasingly been replaced by phosphorus-based flame retardants. However, this group also includes substances that are known or suspected to possess hazardous properties. In addition, several substances within this group are used despite the fact that, at the EU level, it has been concluded that information regarding their impacts on human health and the environment is lacking.

Important to keep in mind!

Although several flame retardants with hazardous properties are now regulated, they may still be present in products that are sent for recycling. When using recycled materials, such as plastics, it is important to ensure that they do not contain any prohibited substances. If you import goods from countries outside the EU, different legislation and fire safety requirements may apply, which can affect the type and content of flame retardants used in those products.

More about identifying hazardous substances in legislation 

More about substances to be phased out

Find alternatives to hazardous substances