Reduced emissions from brominated flame retardants

Potential emissions to land, air and water from brominated flame retardant production and user plants in Europe were significantly reduced last year, thanks to the practices of VECAP, the Voluntary Emissions Control Action Programme, an initiative of EBFRIP, the European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel. The programme aims at reducing these emissions from producers to downstream users. Since 2004 the members of EBFRIP have been applying VECAP in the handling of the chemicals they produce. The estimated emission levels are based on an understanding of the “worst case” potential emissions from plastics and textiles processes. On this basis, between 2008 and 2009, the overall potential emissions in Europe of Deca-BDE decreased from 3,432 to 1,220 kg. In the same period, potential emissions of TBBPA were reduced from 815 to 189 kg and those of HBCD from 2,017 to 309 kg.