A leading researcher in the field of environmental modelling, Prof. Frank Wania from Toronto University, has studied in recent years the potential for PBDEs to be transported over long distances and found in remote areas.

The University of Toronto study, and other recent monitoring studies, have confirmed that findings of PBDEs in remote areas such as the Arctic region and Siberia are mostly of constituents of the commercial Penta-BDE, a substance which is banned in the European Union from mid-August 2004 and for which the one producer has voluntarily agreed to cease production. The Toronto University study has also shown that Deca-BDE and Octa-BDE, on the other hand, have “a very low potential to reach remote areas” (Wania, 2003, pp 1252 - 1261). Recent studies have shown average levels of Deca-BDE in the same regions in the order of +/- 0.000000005 grams per gram of sample. These levels do not pose any environmental or health risks.

Although the data from a recent study has not been fully published yet, both the Norwegian National Veterinary Institute and the Norwegian Polar Institute, authors of this new study, recognize also that the levels found “are low”.

In the meantime, the industry has initiated a specific programme with user industries of Deca-BDE in conjunction with EU regulators aimed at establishing best practice in industrial emissions controls for the use of Deca-BDE. This programme will contribute in further controlling and reducing emissions to the environment. It is planned to develop similar voluntary programmes for other commercial brominated flame retardants.

Furthermore, reports on PBDEs can potentially be misleading. Penta-BDE is one flame retardant and should not be confused with others such as Deca-BDE. The EU has recently closed a ten year scientific assessment of Deca-BDE which concluded that it poses no risk to the environment or health and can be used in all applications.

References:

BSEF press release on findings in Arctic region

Wania study:
Wania, Frank, Dugani, Chandrasagar B. 2003: “Assessing the long-range transport potential of polybrominated polybrominated diphenyl ethers: a comparison of four multimedia models”. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: Vol. 22, No. 6, pp. 1252–1261

Websites of Norwegian Institutes:
http://www.sft.no/english/news/dbafile11556.html
http://www.vetinst.no/inet_eng/index.asp?strUrl=1001110i&topExpand=&subExpand=

Product stewardship programme

What about the findings in dust?

The EU Scientific Risk Assessment authorities, who concluded the scientific risk assessment of Deca-BDE on 26 May 2004, fully integrated these findings in their evaluation of the substance. The EU Authorities concluded that no restrictions on its use were needed due to a lack of identified risks. It is also expected that EU experts will fully integrate these results in the risk assessments of other brominated flame retardants such as TBBPA and HBCD.

Taking into consideration all existing data on findings of brominated flame retardants in dust, it has been scientifically proven that these findings do not pose a risk to human health. Even the highest levels reported of findings of these chemicals in dust are tens of thousands of times below the acceptable toxicological limit. In practical terms, such minute levels mean that a person would need to consume, for example, all the dust on a computer screen the size of more than 60 football fields, each day, before reaching the limit of toxic exposure.

References:

BSEF press release on findings in dust
BSEF statement "Household dust study exaggerates risk of PBDE exposure", July 2005
BSEF statement "Low levels of PBDEs found in Pacific Northwest population well below potential levels of concern", July 2005

Flame retardants require a certain chemical stability for their function: most of them used in polymers which are processed at temperatures of 200 to 350°C depending on the polymer. If they were not sufficiently stable they would start to decompose during these processing steps. Furthermore, flame retardants are used in long live items such as TV sets, computers, cars, construction products. Therefore, they have to last and provide fire safety for the whole life time of the product. Unfortunately, this necessary chemical stability usually relates to stability in the environment. However, persistency does not necessarily mean that the chemical is detrimental to human health or that it is toxic to the environment.

Are BFRs persistent in the environment?

Some BFRs seem to be persistent; others do not. For example, DBDPO seems resistant to degradation in sediments, but studies have shown that both TBBPA and HBCD can be degraded in sediments and/or soils. Other BFRs have not been studied to the extent of these products.

What effects have actually been found in humans or in animals in the environment?

To date, no human health or environmental effects have been associated with the BFRs detected.

A number of publications report detecting various BFRs in sediments, fish, birds, polar bears and other species. What do the levels reported mean?

A few of the many BFRs are found in wildlife or biota. BFRs detected in the environment include DBDPO (or Deca-BDE), TBBPA, HBCD, and various tetra-, penta-, and hexa-BDEs. The amounts and locations of each vary, and depends on the molecule’s properties and the products use. BSEF is co-operating with European Authorities and commissioning leading experts in the field to monitor and assess the environmental and health impact of the levels found.

• When DBDPO is detected, it’s usually in sediments near point sources of manufacture or industrial use. This is because DBDPO is not or only sparingly taken up by animals, and doesn’t tend to move in the environment far from its point of release. Deca-BDE was not found in biota in the big majority of studies. One recent Swedish study reported on findings of Deca-BDE found at trace levels in bird eggs. BSEF is taking this issue seriously and has commissioned additional research to further evaluate this together with EU authorities under the EU Risk Assessment procedure for Deca-BDE.
  
• On the other hand, Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) has been detected in fish and birds. Generally, levels in environmental samples are very low and in the parts-per-billion or parts-per-trillion range. The significance of these findings are being evaluated at European level.
  
• The findings of BFRs in polar bears were limited to one substance only, which is being phased out in Europe, Penta-BDE.
  

Are BFRs considered as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)?

Contrary to misrepresentations, BFRs are not POPs and are not on the United Nations POPs list. Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemicals which would meet the 4 criteria as defined by the United Nations:

• Persitency (P)
  
• Bio-accumulation (B)
  
• Toxicity (T)
  
• Long Range Transport – (LRT)

There are 12 substances on the UN List of POPs. None of the main commercially available BFRs in Europe fulfil the criteria for being Persistent Organic Pollutant. Only one BFR that has been banned (Penta-BDE) is considered as potential candidate to become part of the POP list. See also our section on UNEP.

Equally, BFRs are not PBT (Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic) substances since they do not fulfill all of the three criteria. BFRs have to be Persistent in order to perform their function of fire resistance over long periods of time (e.g. over 30 years for insulation boards inside walls).

Is Deca-BDE degrading to Penta-BDE in the environment?

Penta-BDE is being phased out in the European Union according to the EU Directive amending for the 24th time Council Directive 76/769/EEC relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations. There are concerns however that Deca-BDE as substance commercially available might potential degrade into Penta-BDE.

• A recent study carried out by the Netherlands Institute for Fisheries Research (RIVO) found decreasing levels of congeners related to Penta-BDE and increased concentrations of Deca-BDE in surface sediments. These two opposing trends indicate that it is unlikely that Deca-BDE degrades into Penta-BDE and Hexa-BDE. Finally, the study proves the insignificant potential for bioaccumulation of Deca-BDE and confirms that, if it exists, bioaccumulation of this substance would be very low.

Today, several independent studies have looked at the degradation of Deca-BDE. These studies have generated useful information on the photolysis of Deca-BDE. However in order to fully understand what is happening in the real environment, additional information on several key-issues is needed:

• Existing studies use organic solvents to dissolve Deca-BDE, while in the environment Deca-BDE will not be dissolved in, for instance, Toluene. Only water is the relevant medium in the environment. Consequently, information on photolysis of Deca-BDE in water, or on Deca-BDE bound to particles, is needed.
  
• Most existing studies use light sources that are significantly different from sunlight. The light spectrum has a direct impact on the study results. Consequently, data on photolysis from sunlight is needed.
  
• All existing studies neglect important other degradation pathways, such as athmospheric reactions (eg, with hydroxy radicals). Atmospheric reactions have been proven to be a significant degradation pathway for other organohalogen compounds and must not be neglected.

The bromine industry is currently carrying out research on all the above-mentioned points in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute Germany.

The following provides an overview of the research undertaken by BSEF on the Environmental Impact of BFRs

1. Decabromodiphenyl oxide (DBDPO) or decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE)
1.1. Environmental Chemistry and Fate
1.2. Potential for Long Range Atmospheric Transport
1.3 Environmental Effects

2. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)
2.1. Environmental Chemistry and Fate
2.2. Potential for Long Range Atmospheric Transport
2.3 Environmental Effects

3. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)
3.1. Environmental Chemistry and Fate
3.2. Potential for Long Range Atmospheric Transport
3.3 Environmental Effects


For an overview of industry sponsored research in this area, see:

Hardy ML, Biesemeier J, Manor O and Gentit W. 2003. Industry sponsored research on the potential health and environmental effects of selected brominated flame retardants. Environment International 29:793-99.