THE SUBSTITUTION OF REGULATED BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS IN PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND WASTE AND THE DECLARED PROPERTIES OF THE SUBSTITUTES IN REACH

Detritus ◽

10.31025/2611-4135/2021.15122 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 16-25

Author(s):

Pierre Hennebert

Keyword(s):

Endocrine Disruptors ◽

Flame Retardants ◽

Brominated Flame Retardants ◽

Plastic Waste ◽

Electronic Equipment ◽

Registration Dossier ◽

Concentration Limits ◽

Plastic Products ◽

Over Time ◽

The Eu

Plastics containing brominated flame retardants (BFR) currently contain both “legacy” regulated and non-regulated BFR (R-BFRs and NR-BFRs), as evidenced by the increasingly lower correspondence over time between total bromine and R-BFRs content. The portion of substitutive NR-BFR present in the plastics and their toxicity and ecotoxicity properties are documented. Data relating to plastics and foam present in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), waste EEE, vehicles, textiles and upholstery, toys, leisure and sports equipment show how 88% of plastic waste contains bromine from NR-BFRs. BFR substances mentioned in the catalogs of the three main producers (Albemarle, ICL, Lanxess) and BFR on the official used list of 418 plastic additives in the EU were gathered and the toxic and ecotoxic properties of these compounds as listed in their ECHA registration dossier were compiled. Fifty-five preparations using 34 NR-BFRs substances, including polymers and blends, were found. Seventeen of these substances featured an incomplete dossier, 12 were equipped with a complete dossier, whilst 11 substances (including 2 ill-defined blends) should be reassessed. Eight substances have been notified for assessment by the ECHA as persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic, or as endocrine disruptors, including decabromodiphenylethane; 3 substances display functional concentrations (the concentration of additives that retards flame) exceeding the concentration limits classifying a waste as hazardous but are “reactive” (they bind to the polymer). The technical limit of 2 000 mg total Br/kg indicated for further recycling (EN 50625-3-1) relates to all brominated substances and is relevant in the sorting of all poorly classified new substances.

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Concentrations of brominated flame retardants in plastics of electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, construction, textiles and non-food packaging: a review of occurrence and management

Detritus ◽

10.31025/2611-4135/2020.13997 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 34-50

Author(s):

Pierre Hennebert

Keyword(s):

Food Packaging ◽

Flame Retardants ◽

Brominated Flame Retardants ◽

Electronic Equipment ◽

Concentration Limit ◽

Published Data ◽

Construction Products ◽

The Mean ◽

Mean Concentration ◽

The Eu

A synthesis of 4000 published data from 35 references of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) concentrations, in plastics of electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, construction products, textiles and non-food packaging is presented. For POP decabromodiphenylether, a median concentration of 50 mg/kg in plastics of electrical and electronic equipment (n=276), is reported, as well as 31 mg/kg in plastics of vehicles (n=80), 0 mg/kg in plastics of construction (n=81), and 0 mg/kg in plastics of textiles equipment and upholstery (n=75). The mean concentrations are 5200, 3100, 8700 and 6500 mg/kg, respectively. In non-food packaging (expanded or extruded polystyrene), hexabromocyclododecane is present in some samples. All these plastics always have at least one BFR with a mean concentration above the EU regulatory concentration limit for substances, products or hazardous waste. The distribution of all reported concentrations of PBDEs is skewed, with for instance, in plastics of vehicles, 84% of the data lower than 1000 mg decaBDE /kg, and some large values up to 150 000 mg/kg. The sorting and the up-to-date management technologies are for these categories of plastics (estimated to 40% of the plastic use in the EU, the brominated fraction of them being a few percent) necessary to weed out banned substances in the circular economy.

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