Jun 19 2008
EBFRIP welcomes today’s publication of TBBPA’s EU Risk Assessment and risk reduction strategy conclusions1. The Commission’s Decision represents the closure of TBBPA’s RA which has cleared TBBPA for use without restriction in the EU.
TBBPA is the leading brominated flame retardant use in more than 70% printed circuit boards of electrical and electronic equipments worldwide to comply with high fire safety standards. It is also used as an additive flame retardant to plastics.
The 8-year EU Risk Assessment thoroughly evaluated TBBPA for potential risks to human health and the environment:
- The Human Health section of the Risk Assessment was closed in 2005 with no risks identified.
- The Environmental section of the Risk Assessment was closed in June 2007.
No risk was identified for the reactive use of TBBPA such as in epoxy resins used in printed circuit boards. A local risk was identified at one production plant in Europe where TBBPA is added to ABS to make this specific type of plastic flame retardant.
As a result, the EU approved a Risk Reduction Strategy which recommended an environmental permit to monitor the emissions at this plant2. The European Commission’s Scientific Committee SCHER3 also confirmed the EU Risk Assessment conclusions.
The European Commission’s Decision recommends some areas for which there is a need for further data, although, based on information currently available, no risk was identified. The RRS did not recommend any restriction on these points.
The publication of the TBBPA Risk Assessment conclusions will enable a smooth transition of TBBPA through the REACH registration procedure, as the science needed to register TBBPA is already completed.