WARNING
sent to EU politicains calling on them to support a phase out of all halogenated
flame retardants, toxic heavy metals and PVC by 2004 in the future directive
on waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Use
and Alternatives
Comprehensive information on use of brominated flame retardants
and their alternatives has been published by the Danish Environment Protection
Agency : "Brominated
Flame Retardants, Substance Flow Analysis and Assessment of Alternatives"
June 1999, A table showing the availability of commercial
halogen-free materials and products has been extracted.
A multi-client
study on alternatives to halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) in order to support
development of corporate actions has been published by the Swedish Institute
of Production Engineering Research:"Alternatives to halogenated flame retardants
in electronic and electrical products. Results from a conceptual study". IVF
Research Publication 99824. Read
the conclusions of the report. Purchase
information for the whole report.
Impact on environment and human health
Comprehensive information has been compiled by the Swedish National Chemicals
Inspectorate: "The
flame retardants project", report 5/96.
A study about the increased levels of certain HFRs in the blood of workers in recycling facilities and of computer clerks was published by Sjoedin et al.: "Flame Retardant Exposure: Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Blood from Swedish Workers", Environmental Health Perspectives Volume 107, Number 8, August 1999, Abstract available.
An overview of key science available is given on page 60 of the Greenpeace report: "Tip of the Iceberg", August 1999
Political initiatives
Recommendation
of the World Health Organisation to phase out brominated flame retardants
(1998).
OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, Sintra Statement and Strategy on Hazardous substances, downloadable here (1998)
Swedish
proposal for a
"Phase-out of PBDEs and PBBs (1999).
Fourth
North Sea Conference
Other
interesting links
Background document on hazards and waste from computers has been compiled
by the Clean Computer
Campaign.
An assessment of hazardous materials and take-back policies of major computer corporations operating in the USA and Canada has been made by the Clean Computer Campaign - includes web addresses of all the major computer manufactures.
The
following are some of the manufacturers who have made commitments on Halogenated
Flame Retardents:
Digital (Compaq)
Sony
Toshiba
