December 29, 2004—To complement a voluntary phase-out of the manufacture of two common flame retardant chemicals scheduled for the end of 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action to ensure that no new manufacture or import of the chemicals occurs after January 1, 2005, without first being subject to agency review.
The two chemicals, Penta and Octa, part of a chemical group called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), have been used as flame retardants in commercial products such as furniture foam and structural plastics in small electronic appliances and computers. Great Lakes Chemical Corp., the only US manufacturer of Penta and Octa, is voluntarily phasing out production of these chemicals by December 31, 2004.
EPA has convened a group of stakeholders to help spur the development of safer alternative flame retardants. While flame retardants save lives and protect property, EPA says there have been unintended consequences from their use. PBDEs have been found in human breast milk, fish, aquatic birds, and elsewhere in the environment. Toxicological testing indicates that these chemicals may be harmful to humans.
More information on PBDEs, the Significant New Use Rule, and the Furniture Flame Retardancy Partnership is available at EPA/PBDEs.
