What products contain PBDE?

Finished products that may contain PBDEs are furniture foam padding; wire insulation; rugs, draperies, and upholstery; and plastic cabinets for televisions, personal computers, and small appliances.

Is PBDE banned?

PBDEs have been widely used since the 1970s; however, due to their persistence in the environment, the manufacturing of PBDEs has been banned and the import, use and sale of PBDEs found in commercial mixtures of greatest concern (penta- and octaBDE) have been restricted in Canada since 2008 and in the US since the end …

What are flame retardant chemicals?

What are flame retardants? Flame retardants are chemicals that are applied to materials to prevent the start or slow the growth of fire. They have been used in many consumer and industrial products since the 1970s, to decrease the ability of materials to ignite.

Is PBDE still used?

Flame retardant manufacturers in the U.S. voluntarily stopped producing the PentaBDE (used in furniture foam) and OctaBDE (used in electronic products) varieties of PBDEs in 2004 and have begun producing alternative flame retardants; however, DecaBDE continues to be produced and used in the U.S., primarily in …

What type of chemical is PBDE?

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs, are a class of organobromine compounds that are used as flame retardants.

Are BFRs still used?

They are highly persistent, bioaccumulative and cause adverse effects in humans and wildlife. Although some BFRs are banned or voluntarily withdrawn from usage by the manufacturer, emerging and existing BFRs continue to be used in industrialized countries.

What is the major toxicity of brominated flame retardants BFRs )?

HBCD is toxic to water-living organisms. The UNEP Stockholm Convention has listed HBCD for elimination, but allowing a temporary exemption for the use in polystyrene insulation foams in buildings. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA or TBBP-A) is regarded as toxic to water environment.

What are polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)?

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) include the commercial versions of pentabromodiphenyl ether (c-pentaBDE), octabromodiphenyl ether (c-octaBDE), and decabromodiphenyl ether (c-decaBDE). Each of these commercial products is a mixture composed of several PBDE congeners.

What are PBDEs and why are they dangerous?

PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are industrial toxic flame retardant chemicals used in consumer electronics, furniture, and mattresses. PBDEs are no longer produced in the U.S. but are still present in many items in our homes and elsewhere.

What are the characteristics of brominated congeners of PBDEs?

 Higher brominated congeners of PBDE tend to bind to sediment or soil particles more than lower brominated congeners ( ATSDR 2015).  PBDEs do not dissolve easily in water and bind strongly to soil or sediment particles.

What does PBDE stand for?

PBDEs, or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, are a class of fire retardant chemicals. As part of NOAA’s Mussel Watch Program, PBDEs are one of 150 different contaminants that are continually monitored by periodically sampling bivalves and sediment at 300 coastal sites around the nation. PBDEs are found in a variety of consumer products,