Brominated flame retardants-an overview of toxicology and industrial aspects

Flame retardants in some form are in many cases needed, if polymeric materials are to be used in modern society. Flame retardants save lives by preventing fire initiation and propagation, which in a wider sense is also good for the environment. In electric and electronic equipment, flame retardants based on bromine are dominant. Some of the brominated flame retardants, such as PBB, have been shown to have serious long-term health and environmental effects. Others, such as HBCD, can be suspected to have similar effects. Some brominated flame retardants, especially reactive types, may be more or less harmless. Thus, brominated flame retardants is a broad group of substances that have a wide range of properties with regard to toxicity and environmental aspects. This paper is based on an investigation performed by Orange with the purpose of collecting and assessing toxicity and environmental data on brominated flame retardants in current industrial use.