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 s...
BSEF statement on Regulatory strategy for Flame Retardants
15 September 2023 BSEF is supportive of ECHA’s efforts to assess chemicals more efficiently and their intention to avo...
New Study Sheds Light on Brominated Flame Retardants in WEEE Plastics and their integration into Europe’s Circular Economy
Brussels, [25 September 2023] – Have you ever wondered how we could make electronic waste recycling more efficient and...
Global electronics industry pushes back on Washington State’s unjustified draft rule on organohalogen flame retardants
The International Bromine Council (BSEF) has joined the chorus of criticism from the global electronics sector on a draf...
BSEF co-organize successful Webinar on Fire Safety during the EU Fire Safety Week 2022
For the second year consecutively, BSEF – the International Bromine Council has taken part in the European Fire Safety...
BSEF believes in the continued safety of DBDPE despite Canadian draft Regulation for a restriction – A 60-day public commentary period has opened for stakeholder contributions
DBDPE is a flame retardant used in many applications, including plastic and rubber materials, electrical and electronic ...
BSEF fundamentally refuses the proposed Washington State ban of Organohalogen Flame retardants
Press Statement, 15 February 2022 In 2019, the Washington State Legislature enacted the Pollution Prevention for Healthy...
ACC Comments on Draft Regulatory Determinations Report Under Safer Products for Washington
WASHINGTON (January 31, 2022) – The American Chemistry Council issued the following statement in response to the Draft...
Improving the loops of plastics in electronics
Author: Chris Slijkhuis (cs@eera-recyclers.com) – January 2022 During the IERC 2022 conference in Salzburg from 18...
BSEF response to the Nordic Council of Ministers report “Circular Plastics in Electrical and Electronic Equipment”
21 January 2022 On the 3rd of January 2022 the Nordic Council of Ministers issued a report on recyclable plastic compone...
Join BSEF at THE 20th International Electronics Recycling Congress – IERC 2022
IERC 2022, that is taking place from the 18th till the 21st January, 2022 in Salzburg, Austria, is the international pla...
NAFRA And Two Universities Launch Project to Develop Processes For Recovering And Recycling Bromine And Antimony From Flame-Retarded Plastics
WASHINGTON (December 7, 2021) – The American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFR...
BSEF at the EU Fire Safety Week 2021
With more than 350 participants from 25 different countries the third edition of the European Fire Safety Week organized...
Join BSEF at the European Fire Safety Week 2021
The European Fire Safety Week will bring together the fire safety community and its regulators through a 4-day programme...
JOINT STATEMENT ON THE 2ND MEETING OF THE HIGH-LEVEL ROUNDTABLE ON ENFORCEMENT OF EU CHEMICAL LEGISLATION
22 November 2021 Enforcement of EU chemicals safety and environmental legislation will play a central role in implementi...
The PSLoop (PolyStyrene Loop) Project and the revision of the threshold value for unintentional trace contaminants (UTCs) for Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in Annex I to the EU POPs Regulation
10 November 2021 – Position Paper Key messages Reducing the current 100 mg/kg UTC valu...
BSEF appoints new Secretary General
BSEF aisbl, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Hack as the new Secretary General. Effective 1st October 2...
Expoquimia: The International Chemistry Event showcase the commitment to sustainability and innovation
With more than 350 exhibitors representing around 600 brands Expoquimia displayed the innovations in chemical sector wit...
Campus Essay: Science-based Understanding of Eco-friendly Flame Retardants
8th July 2021 China Campus Essay Call on Science-based Understanding of Flame Retardants was launched in Nov...
BSEF response to EEB call for grouping of all brominated flame retardants and their inclusion on the REACH list of SVHCs
06 July 2021 BSEF categorically rejects the facile suggestion of the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) that all brom...
Innovative Plant to Recycle Polystyrene Foam Demolition Waste and Recover Valuable Resources Opens in the Netherlands
Terneuzen, the Netherlands — 16 June 2021— In a milestone for plastics recycling in Europe, a new recycling plant fo...
BSEF Position Paper – EU Sustainable Products Initiative
16th June 2021 BSEF Position Paper – EU Sustainable Products Initiative Key messages: Define sustainability in ...
BSEF supports Green Week 2021 in its “zero-pollution ambition”
The EU Green Week 2021 will take place from the 1st till the 4th of June and will count with various additional partner ...
In Memory Of Willem Hofland
In Memory Of Willem Hofland, It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing of Willem Hofland, former Dir...
BSEF response to study “Assessing Indoor Dust Interference with Human Nuclear Hormone Receptors in Cell-Based Luciferase Reporter Assays”
25 May 2021 Background On April 14 2021, the study ‘Assessing Indoor Dust Interference with Human Nuclear Hormone Rece...
Misconceptions about chemical families: the one-size-fits-all approach
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) has recently launched a new educational tool with the aim to explain the misconcept...
Flame Retardants: Preventing Fires and Protecting People
The International Bromine Council (BSEF) launched new educational tool entitled ‘Flame retardants: Preventing fires ...
Final report on TBBPA under RoHS 2 published
16 February 2021 The European Commission published the final report on the study to support the review of the list of...
BSEF welcomes the India Bromine Platform (IBP) as its affiliate member.
The India Bromine Platform (IBP) that was conceptualized in 2018 in order to foster the bromine ecosystem in India, beca...
SMX successfully completed a pilot project demonstrating a unique marker technology for brominated flame retardants in plastic
26 January 2021 The International Bromine Council (BSEF) together with the North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFR...
BSEF statement – Harmonised Classification and Labelling (CLH) proposal for Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) by Norway & co-submitted by Denmark
20 November 2020 Context On 5th June 2020 Norway and Denmark submitted a proposal to the European Chemicals Agency, EC...
Canadian study on brominated flame retardants in house dust has substantial limitations
19th November BSEF, the International Bromine Council, has carefully reviewed a recent publication by the Canadian natio...
Sofies study launched during BSEF webinar: “WEEE Plastics Recycling: towards a more Circular Economy”
On the 18th of November the International Bromine Council (BSEF) organised a webinar on the recyclability of Waste El...
Brominated Flame Retardants are not hindering the recycling of WEEE plastics says new study
18th November 2020 BSEF, The International Bromine Council, today released a comprehensive report[1] regarding WEEE plas...
India ratifies ban on seven chemicals that are hazardous to health & environment listed under Stockholm Convention
5th November 2020 BSEF, The International Bromine Council, takes note of the recent India Union Government ratifying the...
BSEF Asia Forum 2020 – Successful Webinar Gathered Key Asian Stakeholders
4th November For the fourth consecutive year, BSEF, The International Bromine Council, organised its Asia Forum. The 2...
International Bromine Council (BSEF) response to ECHA (RAC) CLH opinion on ammonium bromide (NH4Br)
2nd November 2020 The Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) recently adopted a propose...
Online Launch – WEEE PLASTICS RECYCLING: towards a more Circular Economy
18 November – 15:00-16:30 CET WEEE PLASTICS RECYCLING: towards a more Circular Economy Presenting the results of a...
Save the date – BSEF Asia Forum 2020, 4th November
For the 4th consecutive year, BSEF, The International Bromine Council, is organizing its Asia Forum. After the successf...
BSEF reiterates view that ban on halogenated flame retardants in the enclosure and stand of electronic displays in unwarranted and will do nothing to support the EU circular economy agenda
EU Ecodesign Regulation [No 2019/2021] on Ecodesign Requirements for Electronic Displays BACKGROUND The European Comm...
Yang Et Al show phones not a significant source of flame retardant exposure
BSEF, the International Bromine Council, notes analytical results by Canadian researchers highlighting potential exposur...
SMX’S technology utilised to enhance recycling approaches for brominated flame retardant materials
Security Matters Limited (ASX: SMX) (Security Matters or the Company), a company focused on digitising physical objects ...
BSEF Position Paper: Circular Economy Action Plan 2020
Introduction BSEF, the International Bromine Council, supports the strong EU drive for a more circular economy contribut...
POLYSTYRENELOOP wins Blue Tulip Awards 2020
Blue Tulip Awards 2020 We are proud to share with you that PolyStyreneLoop won the Blue Tulip Award 2020 in the climate ...
BSEF response to Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture Position Paper – Unwanted toxic flame retardants preventing circularity and increasing fire toxicity
29 April 2020 Background On the 15th of April 2020 the “Alliance for Flame Retardant Free Furniture”, issued ...
Abichama President, Lilian Salim, interviewed by Revista Incêndio (Fire Magazine), in Brazil
21st April 2020 Lilian Salim, President of the Brazilian Flame retardant association (Abichama) was interviewed by the F...
Study shows stricter regulations on furniture fire safety affect escape on fire scenarios
20 April 2020 Modern upholstered furniture represents a significant fuel load in homes and apartments across Europe. I...
COVID 19 Update: BSEF team working remotely
In response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, BSEF, The International bromine Council, has taken seve...
BSEF welcomes the EU Circular Economy action Plan
11 March 2020 BSEF, The International Bromine Council, supports the EU Circular Economy Action Plan and Europe’s ambit...
Ecodesign Regulation: International Bromine Council (BSEF) legally challenges European Commission ban on halogenated flame retardants in enclosures of electronic displays
09 March 2020 The International Bromine Council (BSEF) lodged formal proceedings with the Europe...
BSEF sponsors 19th International Electronics Recycling Congress IERC 2020
Another successful edition of International Electronics Recycling Congress IERC 2020 took place in Salzburg from the 22 ...
PolyStyreneLoop BV shortlisted for prestigious Plastics Recycling Awards Europe
PolyStyreneLoop BV has been shortlisted for the prestigious Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2020 for “Product Technol...
BSEF Statement on the Oeko Institut draft RoHS restriction proposal for TBBPA
13 December 2019 On December 5th 2019 the Oeko institute in Germany released a report on a proposal to restrict TBBPA fo...
Joint Industry Statement – RoHS Review
RoHS 2021 Review This document constitutes the collective contribution of various organisations and associations represe...
International Bromine Council – BSEF, calls on European Commission to remove unwarranted ban on halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) in Ecodesign, E-Display Regulation
Today, the European Commission published its new eco-design requirements for electronic displays – Directive 2009/...
New Joint paper – A long-term Strategy for Europe´s Industrial Future: from word to action
The Industry4Europe coalition has today issued its new Joint Paper ‘A long-term strategy for Europe’s industrial fu...
Furniture Fire Safety Seminar: Is your sofa fire safe?
On the 21st of November 2019, as part of European Fire Safety Week, stakeholders gathered to hear a range of experts dis...
BSEF, The International Bromine Council, meets with key Asian stakeholders in Seoul
6th November, Seoul – South Korea For the third consecutive year, BSEF, The International Bromine Council, organised i...
BSEF sponsors MEC 14 – Multi-pollutant emissions from coal combustion workshop in Vietnam
BSEF, The International Bromine Council is honoured to sponsor a new edition of the workshop “Multi-pollutant emission...
BSEF response to innaccurate Bloomberg article on Bromine
BSEF – The International Bromine Council, notes the recent coverage by Bloomberg BusinessWeek “The Woman Who Got Bro...
BSEF objects to ban on halogenated flame retardants in EU Ecodesign requirements for electronic displays
BSEF PRESS STATEMENT, 1st October 2019 BSEF, The International Bromine Council, strongly opposes the arbitrary and discr...
Successful discussions at the International Seminar on Passive Protection (SIPP 2019) in São Paulo, Brazil
For another year ABICHAMA was one of the sponsors of the International Seminar on Passive Protection, the SIPP, which to...
We Are Hiring: Regulatory Affairs and Advocacy Manager
BSEF is looking to recruit a full time senior regulatory affairs and advocacy manager to contribute to its global regula...
BSEF supports Chemical Innovation and the Transition to a Circular Economy
Thursday, 11 of July 2019 In a recent blog post, the coalition of European NGOs Cool Products has stated that Halogenate...
BSEF facilitates the launch of the India Bromine Platform (IBP)
Friday, 14 of June 2019 Since 2016, BSEF, the International Bromine Council, has been working to promote bromine and its...
European Environment Agency report announces “strong decreased concentrations of PBDEs” in Europe´s seas
Tuesday, 28 May 2019 – BSEF welcomes the report “Contaminants in Europe’s seas moving towards a clean, non...
New VECAP code of Best practices launched at the EuMBC Conference 2019
Kevin Bradley presented the new Voluntary Emission Control Action Programme (VECAP) to industry experts during the EuMBC...
VECAP celebrates its 15th anniversary with new Code of Best Practices
In Europe, 83% of all brominated flame retardants are correctly handled with less than 0.001% of emissions for key subst...
New Study Demonstrates Safe Use of Brominated Polymeric Flame Retardant
BSEF Press Statement – 25 April 2019 A new paper by Koch et al. entitled “Degradation of brominated polymeric fl...
BSEF sponsors the 2019 edition of the EuMBC Conference
For the second year BSEF, the International Bromine Council, sponsors the EuMBC (European Masterbatchers and Compounders...
BSEF response to publication ““Ecotoxicological characterization of possible degradation products of the polymeric flame retardant “Polymeric FR” using algae and Daphnia OECD tests”
BSEF notes the recent publication titled “Ecotoxicological characterization of possible degradation products of the po...
BSEF Presseinformation BSEF Mitteilung zu einem zweifelhaften Artikel in den “Environmental Health” (DE)
BSEF Presseinformation BSEF Mitteilung zu einem zweifelhaften Artikel in den “Environmental Health News”(United Stat...
BSEF Response to Inaccurate Environmental Health News article (United States) on Polymeric Flame Retardants
BSEF – The International Bromine Council, notes the recent coverage by Environmental Health News relating to a scienti...
BSEF at the Second meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP2)
The second meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury (COP2) took place from 19 to 2...
BSEF is moving to new premises
BSEF, The International Bromine Council, is happy to announce that its secretariat will be moving to a new address in Ja...
BSEF Seminar gathers brominated flame retardants experts in Japan
The BSEF Asia Forum Seminar entitled “Brominated Flame Retardants – Challenges & Trends” was part of the secon...
BSEF at the Energy Storage Global Conference 2018 (video)
The Energy Storage Global Conference, organised by EASE with the support of the European Commission’s Joint Research C...
BSEF supports the 2018 Antimony Day
BSEF, the International Bromine Council, is proud to support the 2018 Antimony Day that will take place on the 13th and ...
Bromine Technology batteries highlighted on the #Storage4EU campaign
The campaign gathers the most successful stories from the energy storage sector The European Association for Storage of ...
ABICHAMA performs pre-test in partnership with the Fire Department of Brasilia
The Brazilian Flame Retardants Industry Association (ABICHAMA), has performed a reaction to fire pre-test on sofa...
The importance of Bromine to society – Japan Chemical Daily article
On May 2018, Dr. Kevin Bradley – BSEF Director General – visited Japan, where he had the opportunity to meet...
Efectis report on “Flame retardants in UK furniture increase smoke toxicity more than they reduce fire growth rate” study says that “the statistical data used are partial and not objective”
The UK study, “Flame retardants in UK furniture increase smoke toxicity more than they reduce fire growth rateR...
Response by Dr. Alexander Morgan to “Flame retardants in UK furniture increase smoke toxicity more than they reduce fire growth rate” Chemosphere 2018, 196, 429-439.
The text below entitled “Response by Dr. Alexander Morgan to “Flame retardants in UK furniture increase smoke toxici...
BSEF contributes to the Battery-based energy storage roadmap (BATSTORM)
BATSTORM has published the final version of the ten-year (2018-2027) research and innovation (R&I) roadmap on batter...
ABICHAMA – The new member of Consultive Council of Brazilian Parliamentary Front for Fire Safety
On April 12, ABICHAMA, the BSEF regional representative in Brazil, was announced as a new member of the Consultive Counc...
Setting indicators for an ambitious EU Industrial Strategy
As part of its work within the coalition of Industry Associations ‘Industry4Europe’, BSEF – The Intern...
BSEF Media Statement on the “Concentrations and migratabilities of hazardous elements in second-hand children’s plastic toys” study
BSEF and its member companies are committed to making information about bromine, and bromine-based technologies availabl...
BSEF becomes a member of The European Association for Storage of Energy (EASE)
BSEF, The International Bromine Council, has formally joined EASE, as member association, focused on promoting bromine-...
The Minamata Convention on Mercury: A global treaty making mercury history
BSEF – the International Bromine Council – joined the discussions at the first Conference of the Parties to the ...
EU’s Sustainable Energy Week 2017 – Clean Energy for all Europeans
The EU’s Sustainable Energy Week 2017 (EUSEW) will take place from 19 to 25 June, in Brussels, Belgium. It is the ...
BSEF Briefing Note – Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)
Background In March 2015, TBBPA was included in the EU’s “Community Rolling Action Plan” (CoRAP) for Evaluation un...
BSEF’s new brand identity highlights its vision for the future
BSEF, the international bromine producer’s association, is changing its corporate brand and logo. The rebranding refle...
Meet BSEF member companies at K-Show 2016
BSEF members – Albemarle, Chemtura and ICL Group – will participate in the largest international trade fair for ...
BSEF becomes an affiliate of Cefic – the European Chemical Industry Council
BSEF, The International Bromine Council, today formally joined Cefic, as an affiliate association, focused on promoting...
Promoting Bromine and Bromine-based Technologies
On 20 April 2016 the Bromine Science Environmental Forum (BSEF) celebrates a new chapter in the organisation’s histor...
VECAP report shows significant achievements on its 10th anniversary
The European Flame Retardants Association (EFRA) releases today the 2014 VECAP European Progress Report. The Voluntary E...
New Research Shows Human Exposures to Common Flame Retardants Well Below Guidance Limits
A new research study released by scientists from Health Canada and Summit Toxicology LLP using large scale biomonitoring...
BBC Radio Broadcast on Bromine
Recently, the BBC released a radio broadcast on the element Bromine. You can access the full podcast here. Bromine is pa...
Television burning test: demonstrating the need for high fire safety standards
Experts from the Fire Technology Department at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, Texas, United Sta...
Update – Restriction proposal submitted by ECHA for Decabromodiphenyl ether (deca-BDE)
On 1 August, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) submitted a restriction proposal for Deca-BDE. The agency is proposing...
Bromine is Essential for Life, Shows New Research
A new research from Vanderbilt University published in the journal Cell has found that, out of the 92 naturally occurrin...
Clarification regarding articles stating that brominated vegetable oil is a flame retardant
Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is a food additive used in soft drinks. It is not a flame retardant, they are totally dif...
Flame Retardants help slow down the spread of fire
The peer-reviewed journal Fire Technology recently released a study by Dr. Blais and Dr. Carpenter showing that flame re...
EU Member States asked to voluntarily monitor some brominated flame retardants in food
On 29 November, an EU expert group[1] supported a European Commission Recommendation[2]to encourage EU Member States to ...
Misleading coverage of recent Lancet study
The Lancet recently published a review on “Neurobehavioural effects of developmental toxicity”[1] which discussed si...