Voluntary emissions reduction programme: VECAP and SECURE

Industry has made extensive efforts to control HBCD emissions into the environment.

Emissions are controlled throughout the HBCD production process. In 2006, the sole HBCD production site in the EU reduced its total HBCD emissions to less than 0.4 grams per ton.

In 2006, HBCD producers in partnership with EPS/XPS producers launched SECURE (Self-Enforced Control of Use to Reduce Emissions), a voluntary emission reduction programme. The objective of this product stewardship programme is to control and reduce potential emissions of HBCD to the environment, focussing specifically on the polystyrene foams supply chain.

More than 95% of the HBCD is used by PlasticsEurope and Exiba members active in the EPS/XPS industry and is covered by a commitment to the "Code of Good Practice" which forms part of the SECURE programme.

The use of HBCD in textiles is covered under a separate industry programme, VECAP.

In 2007, the VECAP and SECURE programmes combined forces to identify and adopt common methodologies. The results and the benefits of these two voluntary industry programmes in Europe have led to an 85% reduction of the HBCD emissions in 2009 compared to the emission data referenced in VECAP/SECURE survey 2008.

Industry closely follows HBCD levels in the environment through a 10-year environmental monitoring programme. This programme provides reliable information on temporal trends of environmental concentrations and how they can be linked to the emissions management programmes.

For more information on VECAP, including the 2009 annual report, please go to: www.vecap.info.