Brominated Flame Retardants in Norway

Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) 20mar03

The registered consumption of brominated flame retardants in Norway is about 300 tonnes per year. The largest area of use is tetrabromobisphenol A in printed circuit boards in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).

The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) has carried out a material flow analysis to collect data on the use, dispersal and emissions of brominated flame retardants in Norway, particularly of penta-, octa- and decabromodiphenylethers (penta-DBE, octa-DBE, deca-DBE), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD).

300 tonnes per year The analysis shows that the registered consumption of brominated flame retardants in Norway is about 300 tonnes per year. The largest area of use is tetrabromobisphenol A in printed circuit boards in EEE. The use of hexabromocyclododecane and deca-bromodiphenylether amounts to 30–50 tonnes per year.

Mainly used in EEE

Around 2/3 of the brominated flame retardants that are consumed each year in Norway are found in EEE. Other important product groups in which brominated flame retardants are found are insulation materials and textiles, upholstery, plastics and electronics in cars.

Waste collection and recovery routines reduce waste problem According to Norwegian legislation EEE shall be specially collected so that some of the materials are recovered. As a result, the emissions of brominated flame retardant are lower than the actual consumption. However, this correlation will have to be studied further.

For more information:

Brominated flame retardants: Summary of the material flow analysis Action plan for flame retardants (09.01.03) Contacts:

Head of Section Anne-Grethe Kolstad, Section for Chemicals and the Chemical Industry Telephone: +47 22 57 35 05, E-mail: anne-grethe.kolstad@sft.no Senior Advisor Solvår Hardeng, Division for Chemicals and the Chemical Industry Telephone: +47 22 57 34 64, E-mail: solvar.hardeng@sft.no

source: http://www.sft.no/english/news/dbafile9164.html 20apr03

Brominated flame retardants:
Summary of the material flow analysis

20mar03

This material flow analysis is part of the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority’s efforts to collect data on the use, dispersal and emissions of brominated flame retardants, particularly penta-, octa- and decabromodiphenylethers (penta-DBE, octa-DBE, deca-DBE), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD).

The analysis used earlier investigations of the use of brominated flame retardants as a starting point. On the basis of information from these investigations, it was decided to focus mainly on the following branches and products:

Electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
Insulation materials
Textiles
Paints, varnishes and glues
Vehicles
Raw materials for plastics, chemicals

There are about 70 different brominated organic compounds that can be used as flame retardants. Appendix 3 lists the substances that are in use.

The table below shows Norway’s consumption of brominated flame retardants in 2001. Norway imports its entire consumption of these substances as the chemicals themselves, in raw materials and intermediate products for processing to plastics, or in finished products.

The figures in the table show net consumption in Norway in 2001, i.e. imports minus exports (finished goods) and production waste (from the manufacture of finished goods in Norway). In the column “various brominated compounds” only totals are given because no information is available on the figures for individual brominated compounds. The figures are partly based on information from Norwegian manufactures who use brominated flame retardants in their products and partly on estimates.

Consumption of brominated flame retardants in Norway in 2001, by type of compound

							Disodium-	Various		Total
					Penta-	Deca-	tetrabromo-	brominated	for 
Product			TBBPA	HBCD	BDE	BDE	phthalate	compounds	product 
			tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes		tonnes*		group
Circuit boards		153**
EEE housings								40-45***	203-218
EEE, other                                                              10-20                  .
EPS				20-25
XPS	 			<1 							32–50
Cellular rubber                                 12-25                                          .
Furniture textiles                      0.1     0.1     0.8                             0.9    .
Vehicles                                                                30-50           30-50  .
Sum			153	20-25	0.1	12-25	0.8		80-115		265-320

* This category is for areas of use where the split between different brominated compounds is unknown 
** The product group may also contain other brominated compounds in small quantities
*** Mainly TBBPA, but also small quantities of poly-BDE and other brominated compounds

The table shows that TBBPA accounts for between half and two thirds of total consumption. Consumption of HBCD and deca-BDE is considerably lower. It is not possible to compare the results from this material flow analysis with the analysis that was carried out in 1998, since the range of products included is different, especially as regards EEE items. In 1998, imported EEE items were not included, and the survey of insulation materials was incomplete.

The accuracy of the figures for insulation materials and textiles is high. The estimates of consumption in circuit boards and EEE items manufactured in Norway are also considered to be relatively reliable. However, the level of uncertainty is substantially higher for imported EEE items. The estimate of use in vehicles is uncertain.

Average consumption of brominated flame retardants in other Western European countries is higher than the figures for Norway in this survey. The difference can partly be explained by the fact that Norway has a rather different consumption profile for certain products. For example, little EPS/XPS containing flame retardants is used in Norwegian buildings, and brominated flame retardants are not use in Norwegian production of PUR for furniture, mattresses and insulation.

Nevertheless, it is reasonable to assume that the true level of consumption in Norway is higher than the figure obtained in this survey, probably 400 – 500 tonnes. This is probably because the estimates for quantities of brominated flame retardants in imported EEE items and vehicles are too low.

Possible measures to reduce the environmental impact of brominated flame retardants include:

Replacing brominated flame retardants with other, less dangerous flame retardants
Eliminating/reducing their use by requiring less stringent fire safety standards to be met
Using alternative technological solutions or other working methods to maintain fire safety standards
Using materials that are not flammable in themselves instead of materials containing brominated flame retardants
Making arrangements to deal with waste containing brominated flame retardants separately and in an environmentally sound way.

A review of the literature and publications from manufacturers and users internationally makes it clear that there is considerable resistance to proposals to eliminate the use of brominated flame retardants. This is because these compounds have highly satisfactory technical and fire retardant properties that make it possible to meet the strictest fire safety standards laid down by various authorities, and because their overall cost is lower than for other flame retardants.

However, a great deal of work is being done to replace polybrominated diphenylethers with other brominated compounds that are less hazardous to health and the environment, and it is expected that over time, it will be possible to phase out the use of these substances entirely. There is less emphasis on finding replacements for TBBPA and HBCD. Little information on the health and environmental impacts of the alternative brominated compounds is available.

There are many bromium-free alternatives that are already in use or available. The substances that are of most interest are various phosphorus compounds and metal compounds (containing aluminium or magnesium). Another available option is polymers that have been modified too make them non-flammable (“built-in” flame retardant properties). These include fibrous material for use in non-flammable garments, and foam materials for furniture and other products.

source: http://www.sft.no/nyheter/dokumenter/dbafile9165.html 20apr03

Action plan for flame retardants

The Norwegian Government has adopted a new action plan to substantially reduce emissions of brominated flame retardants by 2010. Flame retardants represent a growing threat to health and the environment.

Brominated flame retardants are recognized as among the most hazardous substances known today. They are used in a large number of products (eg electrical and electronic products, building materials and textiles) to make them less flammable.

Increasing concentrations in humans and the environment These substances have a very stable composition. They therefore accumulate across the food chain as they spread through the environment. Investigations show increasing concentrations of brominated flame retardants in human blood and breast milk, sediments, fish and bird’s eggs.

These hazardous substances are also found in distant areas such as the Arctic.

The precautionary principle There are different types of brominated flame retardants. It is still uncertain just how hazardous some of these substances are and what damage they can cause to health and the environment. Nevertheless, experience from clean-up operations after previous discharges of hazardous substances such as PCB, DDT and mercury indicate that precautionary steps should be taken.

The action plan includes the following measures:

Ban on the use of three specific substances and a close monitoring of two additional substances.
Active participation in the international efforts to reduce the emissions from brominated flame retardants.
Intensified control of the use, collection and waste treatment of such substances and of other products containing brominated flame retardants.
Increased information in order to stimulate the demand for products without brominated flame retardants or for alternative products that are less hazardous to health and the environment.
Collection of more knowledge on what occurs when products containing brominated flame retardants are incinerated or deposited as waste.

SFT responsible for follow up The action plan has been prepared by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) and approved by the Ministry of the Environment (on December 30. 2002). SFT will have the responsibility for carrying out the plan.

For more information:

Action plan for the reduction of emissons of brominated flame retardants (09.01.03) Certain Brominated Flame Retardants: Polybrominated Diphenylethers, Polybrominated Biphenyls, Hexabromo Cyclododecane (PDF file from Ospar) Contacts:

Head of Section Anne-Grethe Kolstad, Section for Chemicals and the Chemical Industry Tel: +47/ 22 57 35 05, E-mail: anne-grethe.kolstad@sft.no Senior Advisor Solvår Hardeng, Division for Chemicals and the Chemical Industry Tel: +47/ 22 57 34 64, E-mail: solvar.hardeng@sft.no

source: http://www.sft.no/english/news/dbafile8520.html 20apr03

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