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SNUFFING OUT BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS:
Phasing out PBDEs from Europe to North America

What are brominated flame retardants and PBDEs?
PBDEs in Canadians' blood
Actions by the Canadian government
International Action

What are brominated flame retardants and PBDEs?

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are used to slow the spread of fire in upholstered furniture, mattresses, curtains, carpets, electronics, and other items. These flame retardants contain a group of chemicals known as PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers).

PBDEs are persistent and bioaccumulative; they are suspected hormone disruptors and can cause cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders. PBDEs are suspected of having particularly damaging effects on the thyroid (which controls brain development), and as a result, PBDEs may cause neurodevelopmental disorders such as learning disbilities and behaviour problems. PBDEs leach from products, and have been detected in house dust, human blood and breast milk.

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PBDEs in Canadians' blood

In the first Toxic Nation study on the pollution in Canadian adults, Environmental Defence tested 11 Canadians from across the country for the presence of 88 chemicals in their blood and urine. As part of the study, we tested for five PBDE compounds (PBDE 47, 99, 100, 153, and PBB 153); these compounds are mainly used in the PeBDE commercial mixture.

All five PBDEs tested for were detected in the study volunteers. The most common PBDE detected was PBDE 47, which was detected in 10 of 11 volunteers, at a median concentration of 0.1572 ug/L, with a range of 0.031 ug/L to 0.43 ug/L.

In the second Toxic Nation study on the pollution in Canadian families, we tested parents and children from five Canadian families for 68 chemicals, including the five PBDE compounds. All five PBDEs tested for were detected in both the children and the adults. The most common PBDE detected was PBDE 47. The children in the study had higher median concentrations of PBDE 47 and 153 than the adults, as well as a higher median total concentration for PBDEs (see table below).

Table 1. Median PBDE levels detected in Polluted Children, Toxic Nation (ug/L in plasma)

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Actions by the Canadian government

• Assessing the risks of PBDEs
• Action on PBDEs

Assessing the risks of PBDEs
In February 2004, Environment Canada and Health Canada completed their respective Screening Assessment Reports for PBDEs. Both reports concluded that the group of PBDEs are highly persistent and bioaccumulative. In addition, Environment Canada found that PBDEs are toxic to the environment and biological diversity, and recommended that PBDEs be considered 'toxic' as defined by the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and slated for virtual elimination.

Health Canada found that more information was required on the population's exposure to PBDEs to determine whether the substances should be considered toxic to human health; however, Health Canada supported Environment Canada's recommendations that PBDEs be phased-out. In addition, Health Canada found that a "more in-depth evaluation of PBDEs from a human health perspective is considered a low priority, unless information becomes available that measures recommended to control exposure of environmental organisms to PBDEs will not be protective of human health". This priority was in part based on "experience in other countries that risk management actions to protect the environment have resulted in a reduction of exposure in humans".

On July 1st, 2006, Environment Canada and Health Canada released their respective final assessment reports for PBDEs. The reports reiterated the conclusions of the draft reports, but did not include recommendations for the regulation of PBDEs.

Read Environment Canada's final Ecological Screening Assessment on Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (June 2006)
Read Health Canada's State of the Science Report for a Screening Health Assessment for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) (December 2004)

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Action on PBDEs

On December 16, 2006, the federal government proposed regulations to limit several PBDEs, and then on December 27th, PBDEs were added to the List of Toxic Substances under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). The government had first announced its intentions to regulate these toxic substances in July 2006.

Three PBDEs (tetraBDE, pentaBDE, and hexaBDE), which are used to make the commercial mixture Pentabromodiphenyl Ether (or PentBDE), will be completely banned from manufacture, use, sale or import. The other four types of PBDEs registered for use in Canada (heptaBDE, octaBDE, nonaBDE and decaBDE), will only be prohibited from manufacture. It is expected that these regulations will come into effect by the end of 2007.

The commercial mixture PentaBDE has been voluntarily phased out since 2005, meaning that the regulations will have no economic impact on industry, but will prevent future reintroduction of these harmful chemicals. The proposed regulations also state that additional action will be taken in the future to address the remaining PBDE compounds and PBDEs in consumer products.

• Read Environmental Defence Comments on the additon of PBDEs to Schedule 1 of CEPA (August 2006)
• Read the Government's proposed PBDE Regulations (December 2006)

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International action

The European Union (EU) has led the way in phasing-out the use of PBDEs. In February 2003, the EU announced that two commercial mixtures of PBDEs, PeBDE and OBDE, would be banned as of August 2004. As of July 1, 2006, the EU also banned DBDE for use in electronic products, including TVs and computers; the EU is considering a full ban of DBDE by 2008.

In the US, several states have also taken action on PBDEs. In California and Hawaii, PeBDE and OBDE will be phased out by 2008, and in Maine PeBDE and OBDE are to be phased-out in 2006, followed by a DBDE phase-out by 2008. Restrictions on PBDEs have also been proposed in Massachusetts, Michigan, New York and Washington.

At the federal level, the US Environmental Protection Agency issued a regulation that came into force January 1, 2005, prohibiting the manufacture or importation of PeBDE and OBDE without an evaluation. This rule provides the US government an opportunity to evaluate any intended new use and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit that use before it occurs.

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