North America

Through its program office in Washington, D.C., BSEF member companies work closely with the U.S. Congress, federal agencies and regulators (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and other interested policymakers (Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, U.S. Department of Commerce, etc.), as well as interested national and international regulators and stakeholders. BSEF members also work closely with legislators in all 50 states to ensure access to the best information regarding brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and fire safety, health and environmental issues.

The BSEF member companies voluntarily phased out the production and use of the Penta-BDE and Octa-BDE in 2004, in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). State legislation formalising this phase-out at the individual state level has been adopted in California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Rhode Island.

In Canada, the federal government is continuing to review and develop guidelines for a number of chemical substances.  BSEF and its member companies are working with the Government of Canada, through Environment Canada, to assist in developing strategies that allow for the safe and effective use and management of DecaBDE and other flame retardants.

BSEF has also established the Voluntary Emissions Reduction Action program (VECAP), a global program to reduce emissions of Deca-BDE and other brominated flame retardants from manufacturing facilities.  This program will provide the basis for an Environmental Performance Agreement (EPA) with Environment Canada, to monitor and reduce emissions of DecaBDE in industrial settings.

By establishing universal Codes of Good Practice, and working closely with customers and industry to ensure that brominated flame retardants are properly handled and used during production and incorporation into plastics and polymers, the program controls emissions and helps ensure that any waste product is either reused, recycled or disposed of properly.   The VECAP was launched in Europe in 2004 and in Canada and the United States in 2006.   These, and other voluntary stewardship approaches, are a very effective way to monitor and assess DecaBDE emissions particularly when combined with existing Pollution Release and Transfer Reporting obligations such as those in Canada.