by Shane Henson — June 16, 2014—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing safer alternatives to the flame retardants now used in consumer and commercial products, including building insulation and products with flexible polyurethane foam that may be bought or maintained by facilities managers planning construction, renovation or other building-related projects.
According to the EPA, flame-retardant chemicals such as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE) raise concerns for human health and the environment, including potential reproductive, developmental, and neurological effects, and can be persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to aquatic organisms.
EPA is releasing the final report on alternatives to the flame retardant HBCD and releasing an updated draft report on alternatives to the flame retardant pentaBDE. These alternatives were identified through EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE) Alternatives Assessment Program.
Butadiene styrene brominated copolymer is identified as a safer alternative to HBCD, which is used in polystyrene building insulation and is currently in commercial production in the United States. Oligomeric phosphonate polyol is identified as a safer alternative to pentaBDE. The pentaBDE report will help industry choose safer alternatives to meet product flammability standards for consumer products containing flexible polyurethane foam.
EPA’s Design for the Environment Alternatives Assessment Program helps industries choose safer chemicals and offers a basis for informed decision-making by providing a detailed comparison of the potential public health and environmental impacts of chemical alternatives. Throughout the partnerships, stakeholders, including chemical suppliers, product manufacturers, and non-government organizations have provided valuable information to support the development of the draft and final reports, says the EPA.
“EPA’s [finding safer] alternatives is great news for consumers and industry,” said Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “We will now have safer alternatives for use in our products from furniture to car seats to building insulation.”
