Brominated flame retardants and recycling

Flame retardants help prevent fires from starting and slow the growth rate of fires that do start. As such, flame retardants allow longer escape times for people in the presence of a fire, as well as longer response times and less advanced fires for fire-fighters. The use of flame retarded materials is essential in order to meet fire safety standards and to ensure that products are safe for consumers.

Studies show that the commonly used BFRs in E&E are fully compatible with integrated waste management systems, such as feedstock recycling and energy recovery. These studies indicate that it is possible to handle E&E appliances made with plastics containing BFRs in an environmentally friendly manner while complying with the regulations of the WEEE Directive.

Full compliance with strict emission rules

Any fire, regardless of the material that is aflame, produces a certain amount of dioxins and furans (hazardous chemical fumes). Because of dioxins and furans, fire fumes can be more dangerous than the flames themselves. Studies show that flame retarded materials reduce toxic gas production by more than 60% and reduce heat production by 75 in comparison to unprotected appliances, proving that flame retarded materials have another major advantage over non-flame retarded materials.

Concerns over dioxin and furan emissions during incineration processes have been addressed in the EU Risk Assessment for Deca-BDE. The Assessment attests that: "Increasing the content of brominated flame retardants in the waste stream [does] not result in a significant increase in the emissions of chlorinated, brominated or mixed chlorinated/brominated dibenzo-p-dioxins and furans." The Assessment concludes that: "The levels [of dioxins have always been] below the EU threshold value for incineration of waste".

Furthermore, incineration of plastics containing brominated flame retardants comply with the strict dioxin/furan emission limit values. Also, plastics containing Deca-BDE meet the strict PBDD/F limit values of the German "Dioxin Ordinance" when recycling is carried out according to standard health and safety practices.

If products containing flame retardants are not properly disposed of no dioxins or furans will be emitted, as long as there is no fire.

Brominated flame retardants contained in WEEE plastics – including TBBPA in ABS - can be safely handled in modern household waste incinerators. Studies confirm that up to 3% of WEEE plastics containing BFRs can be safely added to a household incinerator, because the halogens in plastics have a positive cleaning effect on the heavy metals in the slag.

Studies by the Nordic Council of Ministers confirms that TBBPA in waste decomposes in the incineration process and that increased content of BFRs gave no significant increase in the emissions of chlorinated dioxins, brominated dioxins or chlorinated/brominated dioxins.

For further information on dioxins and furans click here.