HPV SECTION High Product Volume chemicals and BFRs The project mainly focuses on the production and use of Deca-BDE, HBCD and TBBA, products that are being used as flame retardants in enclosures of computers and TV sets, textile electronic equipment (printed circuit boards) and polystyrene foam for construction. These products are denominated High Product Volume (HPV) chemicals because they represent 2/3 of the total European consumption of brominated flame retardants. BSEF has commissioned the Dutch institute for Fishery Research (RIVO), in a joint venture with the University of Wageningen, to conduct environmental monitoring on these flame retardants. The global chemical industry, through the International Council of Chemical Associatioins (ICCA), launched a global initiative on High Production Volume (HPV) chemicals in 1988. Through this commitment, the chemical industry has undertaken to provide, as a first step, harmonised data sets on the intrinsic hazards of and initial hazard assessments for approximately 1,000 HPV substances by the end of 2004. This information will be submitted to the OECD for international agreement as part of its refocused HPV Chemicals Programme.
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