BSEF host webinar on ECHA call for evidence on flame retardants
22 February 2024
In March 2023, The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published its Flame Retardant (FR) Strategy. This strategy is an unprecedented opportunity to assess all FRs broadly, coherently and more efficiently and can help avoid regrettable substitution.
Resulting from this strategy, was a European Commission mandate sent to ECHA in late 2023. As part of answering the requests of the mandate, ECHA has opened a ‘call for evidence’ (public consultation) on aromatic brominated flame retardants (ABFRs) until 5 April 2024. The information that is collected will be used to decide if these substances (or a subgroup thereof) should be restricted in the EU in the future.
To help downstream users better understand the detailed information on uses, including in which sectors, applications and polymer systems ABFRs are used, as well as information on the potential for releases and exposures during complete substance life cycles (including waste and recycled material), BSEF organised a webinar on the 22nd February 2024.
The 133 participants that attended were given practical advice and tips on how to make an effective response e.g., on how the data collection spreadsheets are structured as well as how to navigate ECHA’s consultation website, by Nina Lazic, Economist at ECHA.
This was complemented by an introduction to the regulatory background to ECHA’s call for evidence and an explanation on what the call for evidence is for and why it is vitally important that downstream users and trade associations participate, by Peter Simpson (Apeiron).
Why downstream users should respond to the Call for Evidence:
- DUs will usually have important information that is needed by the risk managers at ECHA
- Early intervention with robust, representative, data can fundamentally shape a regulatory proposal
- In the absence of information, ECHA’s approach will be to use default assumptions. These typically assume alternatives are available and will not favour continued use
The recording is available here: full webinar
BSEF strongly encourage BFR-users to respond, and kindly ask to be informed if you do so, and for non-confidential information to be shared where possible. Please email: krothenbacher@bsef.com