ENDS Daily - Sweden rethinks deca-BDE ban under EU pressure
Thursday 15 May 2008
Article from ENDS Daily: http://www.endseuropedaily.com/articles/index.cfm
ENDS Europe DAILY 2541, 14/05/08
Sweden is to repeal a national ban on the brominated flame retardant deca-BDE in response to a legal threat from the European commission, the government announced last week. The restrictions covered deca-containing textile, upholstery and electrical wiring products.
Sweden introduced the ban in 2006 in the face of opposition from the bromine industry and several EU states (EED 28/08/06). The European commission subsequently instituted infringement proceedings against the move, claiming a breach of EU rules guaranteeing free movement of goods.
Industry association Ebfrip hailed the decision, saying it "eliminated the inconsistency between its restriction and a positive ten-year EU risk assessment of Deca-BDE, which did not identify any significant risks justifying restrictions on the flame retardant".
But Sweden said it was still in favour of a total ban on the chemical and would try to persuade other EU states to take the step at EU level. "The government has made the decision that it can better act within the EU and cooperate with member states to phase out deca-BDE," a ministry spokesman told ENDS.
National chemicals agency KemI has been asked to build a dossier by next spring of the most recent scientific findings on deca-BDE to bolster the case for an EU ban, and to "have a dialogue with industry and public services on alternatives to deca-BDE".
Last month the European commission confirmed that deca-BDE would be banned in electrical and electronic goods - by far the biggest market for the chemical - from the end of next month, following an EU court case (EED 09/04/08). The industry is still holding out hopes of overturning the decision as part of a review of the EU legislation on the sector (EED 21/01/08).
Follow-up: Swedish environment ministry press release (Swedish) and Ebfrip reaction.
ENDS Europe DAILY 2541, 14/05/08
Sweden is to repeal a national ban on the brominated flame retardant deca-BDE in response to a legal threat from the European commission, the government announced last week. The restrictions covered deca-containing textile, upholstery and electrical wiring products.
Sweden introduced the ban in 2006 in the face of opposition from the bromine industry and several EU states (EED 28/08/06). The European commission subsequently instituted infringement proceedings against the move, claiming a breach of EU rules guaranteeing free movement of goods.
Industry association Ebfrip hailed the decision, saying it "eliminated the inconsistency between its restriction and a positive ten-year EU risk assessment of Deca-BDE, which did not identify any significant risks justifying restrictions on the flame retardant".
But Sweden said it was still in favour of a total ban on the chemical and would try to persuade other EU states to take the step at EU level. "The government has made the decision that it can better act within the EU and cooperate with member states to phase out deca-BDE," a ministry spokesman told ENDS.
National chemicals agency KemI has been asked to build a dossier by next spring of the most recent scientific findings on deca-BDE to bolster the case for an EU ban, and to "have a dialogue with industry and public services on alternatives to deca-BDE".
Last month the European commission confirmed that deca-BDE would be banned in electrical and electronic goods - by far the biggest market for the chemical - from the end of next month, following an EU court case (EED 09/04/08). The industry is still holding out hopes of overturning the decision as part of a review of the EU legislation on the sector (EED 21/01/08).
Follow-up: Swedish environment ministry press release (Swedish) and Ebfrip reaction.
