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The EU plans to restrict decabromodiphenyl ether.

2014-07-03

The EU plans to restrict decabromodiphenyl ether.

October 3, 2013

A year after the last update to the list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) included certain polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced on its website on August 1, 2013, that it might include decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE) in Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation or restrict it under the Stockholm Convention.

The EU has long restricted the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (POPs), with relevant regulations including POPs (EC NO. 850/2004), Annex XVII of REACH (EC NO. 552/2009), and the RoHS Directive (Directive 2011/65/EU). Although the European Court of Justice has long since revoked the RoHS exemption for decabromodiphenyl ether (decabromodiphenyl ether), it remains restricted under the EU POPs regulation, unlike other POPs. Tetrabromodiphenyl ethers (TetraBDE) to heptabromodiphenyl ethers (HeptaBDE) are included in the EU POPs regulation, while octabromodiphenyl ethers (OctaBDE) are restricted under the EU REACH regulation.

Decabromodiphenyl ether (DBD) is classified as a persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substance, or a highly persistent, highly bioaccumulative substance (PBT/vPvB). Norway drafted an official proposal in May 2013 requesting that DBD be included in the Stockholm Convention's list of persistent organic pollutants. Subsequently, the European Commission requested ECHA to assess this substance and draft a corresponding proposal, expected to be submitted on August 1, 2014.

Given the limits for octabromodiphenyl ether in Annex XVII, Section 45 of REACH, and considering the current limits for tetrabromodiphenyl ethers to heptabromodiphenyl ethers in the EU POPs regulation, the following limits may be proposed for decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE):

Expected terms of EU POPs regulation	Limit
The composition of substances, preparations, articles, or flame-retardant components of articles (excluding electrical and electronic equipment subject to RoHS control).	≤ 0.001%
Articles and preparations made partly or entirely from recycled or reused waste materials	< 0.1%

REACH Regulation Expected Provisions	Limit
Articles or their flame-retardant components that exceed the limits must not be placed on the market (this does not apply to electrical and electronic equipment under RoHS control).	< 0.1%
If a substance exceeds the limit as a component of other substances or mixtures, it shall not be placed on the market or used.	< 0.1%

Sources: ECHA Official Website