Substituting environmentally relevant flame retardants: Assessment fundamentals

March 2001
Ort: 
Report on the Umweltbundesamt (German Federal Environmental Agency)
Autor: 
Hermann Kruse
Engelbert Schramm
Sprache: 
Englisch
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The study examines the status, trends and alternatives (substitution and reduction potentials) in the use of flame retardants in selected product sectors: construction; electronics and electrical engineering; rail vehicles; textiles/upholstery. In addition, the study characterises thirteen flame retardants in terms of material flows, applications and toxicology/ecotoxicology. 

Vol. I: Summary overview of flame retardant applications in Germany in 1999/2000; characterisation of 13 flame retardants in terms of substance properties and application-specific characteristics, range of applications and quantities; derivation of assessment fundamentals for flame retardants, focussing on toxicology/ecotoxicology, suitability for closed-loop substance management, and potential for substitution and reduction; summary assessment of 13 flame retardants; summary overview of flame retardant applications. .

Vol. II: Analysis of flame retardant applications (state of the art, trends, alternatives) in: unsaturated polyester (UP) resins (rail vehicles); polyurethane (PU) insulating foams and one component foams (OCF) (construction sector); plastics for generic uses in electronic and electrical equipment, in casings for electronic and electrical equipment and in printed circuit boards (electronics/electrical engineering); and in upholstery and mattresses (textile applications).

Bd.III: Vol. III: Toxicological/ecotoxicological profiles of substances: Decabromodiphenyl oxide; Tetrabromo- bisphenol A; Bis[pentabromophenyl]ethane; Hexabromocyclodo-decane, Tris[chloropropyl] phosphate, Resorcinol-bis-diphenylphosphate; N-Hydroxymethyl-3-dimethylphosphonopropionamide, Red phosphorus, Ammonium polyphosphate, Melamin cyanurate, Aluminiumtrihydroxide, Sodium borate decahydrate, Antimony trioxide. 

Schlagwörter: 
Flame retardants
fire protection
substance assessment
substance substitution
substance reduction
Decabromodiphenyl oxide
Tetrabromobisphenol A
Bis[pentabromophenyl]ethane
Hexabromocyclododecane
Tris[chloropropyl]phosphate
Resorcinol-bis-diphenylphosphate
N-Hydroxymethyl-3-dimethylphosphonopropionamide
Red phosphorus
Ammonium polyphosphate
Melamin cyanurate
Aluminiumtrihydroxide
Sodium borate decahydrate
Antimony trioxide
unsaturated polyester resins
polyurethane insulating foam
polyurethane one component foam
electronic/electrical casings
printed circuit boards
upholstery
mattresses