Applications
Two main areas of application are plastics and textiles. In plastics, Deca-BDE is used for electrical and electronic equipment (housings of computers, TV sets, etc), in the transportation and aeronautic sectors (i.e. planes, cars and lorries) and in construction and building (i.e. wires and cables, pipes, carpets etc). The European Court of Justice ruled on 1 April 2008 that as of 1 July 2008 Deca-BDE can no longer be used in electronics and electrical applications in Europe. Also in the US, Deca-BDE use will be voluntarily phased out by the end of 2012 with an additional year granted for specific applications (e.g. transportation, military).
ABS and HIPS plastics are the two major, widely available, polymer resins used for electric and electronic applications housings. Deca-BDE allows achieving high fire safety standards (UL94 V0) with HIPS used in E&E. Deca-BDE is also used in connectors, plugs and switches playing an essential role in every electrical and electronic device, from the point where electricity enters the home or office, to the actual electrical appliance or equipment: dishwashers, TV sets and electrical systems of cars, trains and planes .In textile applications, Deca-BDE is used in upholstered furniture to comply with fire safety standards in public places and to comply with more stringent fire safety requirements for the home in countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In textile applications, Deca-BDE is used in upholstered furniture to comply with fire safety standards in public places and to comply with more stringent fire safety requirements for the home in countries such as Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Two basic market segments need textile backcoating with Deca-BDE: contract textiles (curtain, blinds, textile wall coverings and seating fabrics), mainly for public buildings and transport; and domestic furniture textiles (primarily driven by the more stringent fire safety regulations in force in certain EU member states such as the UK or Ireland).
Deca-BDE is one of the most effective flame retardants available for use in a wide range of applications. In that sense, the role it plays in fire safety is unquestionable.
A study by the University of Surrey estimates that flame retardants led to a 20 percent reduction in fire deaths in the United Kingdom in recent years. Statistics for the UK show that over 3.000 lives have been saved since 1988 as a result of the legislation mandating that upholstered furniture be made with a high level of fire resistance.
