NEWS
EFSA consultation on chlorinated paraffins in food
The European Food Safety Agency has opened a public consultation to 17th September 2019 on risks to human and animal health from chlorinated paraffin contamination in food and feed.
READ MOREICL becomes member of pinfa
We are very excited to join pinfa, said Yaniv Kabalek, Senior Vice President, Flame Retardants at ICL. A global specialty minerals and chemicals company, ICL operates bromine, potash, and phosphate mineral value chains in a unique, integrated business model.
READ MOREUK Parliament report on “Toxic Chemicals”
The UK Parliament (Environmental Audit Committee) has published its report on “Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life”, following a Parliamentary public enquiry process (see pinfa Newsletter n°102).
READ MOREUK Government Advice on HPL claddings
The UK Government has issued an official “Advice Note” to building owners concerned by HPL (high pressure laminate) panels in external wall systems, to be read in complement to the December 2018 Advice Note on panel systems.
READ MOREQueensland State to ban “flammable cladding”
The Government of Queensland State, Australia, has announced that it will regulate to ban “flammable cladding” on all new buildings.
READ MOREScotland updates to building fire regulations
The Scottish Government has published updates to building standards, applicable for building work permitted or starting after 1/10/2019, including significant new requirements for fire safety.
READ MOREECHA delays restriction on chlorinated P-ester FRs
The European Chemical Agency, ECHA, has “withdrawn” a proposal to restrict the use of chlorinated phosphorus ester flame retardants (TCEP, TCPP and TDCP, and a mixture of these) in flexible polyurethane foams (PUR) in certain products (see pinfa Newsletter n°92).
READ MOREGoogle commits to use “safer flame retardants” by 2023
Google’s new report “A circular Google in a sustainable world” states as a mission “To accelerate the transition to a circular economy in which business creates environmental, economic, and community value through the maximum reuse of finite resources”.
READ MORERoom tests show UK furniture regulations effective
Nine full-scale furnished room fire tests were carried out with furniture corresponding to current UK, French and US fire safety requirements. The UK Furniture Fire Safety Regulation require both smoulder and open flame fire resistance whereas France (EN 1021-1) and the US (current California TB117-2013) require smouldering cigarette resistance only.
READ MOREMedia recognise value of FRs in protecting cars
Fox2, USA, has published a story warning the public that a water bottle left in a car in the sun can be a fire risk. The article quotes however the Getty Conservation Institute: “seats are designed to be fire-retardant and self-extinguishing, thus your car seat is more likely just have a burned hole in it than to actually catch fire.
READ MOREFires starting in furniture cause 14% of fire deaths
A study of fire statistics in Massachusetts 2003-2016 shows that fires involving furniture caused 14% of all residential fire deaths. Data was assessed from 158 862 residential fires reported as causing human or monetary damage. Fires with no information on fire cause and intentional fires were excluded, leaving 34 081 fires analysed.
READ MOREDimelamine pyrophosphate PIN FR for epoxies
Dimelamine pyrophosphate (DMPY) was synthesised in one step (97% yield) from melamine and sodium pyrophosphate, then tested as a flame retardant in DGEBA/PDA epoxy resin at 0 – 12% loading. UL94-V1 (3.2 mm) was achieved at 8% DMPY and V0 at >9%. LOI was increased by up to 50% (at 12% loading).
READ MOREZinc triazine and APP synergy
A zinc oxide – organic triazine compound (OTCA-ZnO) was prepared and tested as a flame retardant in EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer) in combination with APP (ammonium polyphosphate) at total loading of 25% (App 0-25%, OTCA-ZnO 25-0%) by melt-mixing.
READ MOREPhosphate mine waste effective as FR
“Phosphorus tailings” - waste generated in large quantities by phosphate rock mining (in this study, from Tiaoshuihe phosphate mine, Hubei Sanning Mining, China) were tested as a flame retardant, at 2.5 – 10% loading, with 15 – 25% aluminium hypophosphite, in TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane).
READ MORESulfenamide synergists for PIN FRs
Sulfenamides are organic PIN chemicals containing nitrogen-sulphur bonds and carbon rings. Five different sulfenamides were synthesised, with in some cases additional nitrogen groups, and were tested as synergists to PIN flame retardants in polypropylene (phosphonate ester, aluminium hypophosphite, AHP, ATH, APP).
READ MOREICL joins pinfa
We are very excited to join pinfa, said Yaniv Kabalek, Senior Vice President, Flame Retardants at ICL. ICL is a global specialty minerals and chemicals company operating bromine, potash, and phosphate...
READ MOREpinfa Electromobility & Fire Safety workshop Tokyo
At its 2nd Electromobility and fire safety challenges workshop, Tokyo, 1st July 2019, pinfa brought together more than 60 stakeholders of the electromobility value chain: automotive companies, OEMs, plastic compounders and manufacturers of flame retardants.
READ MOREpinfa China official WeChat account
On June 18th 2019, pinfa China launched its official WeChat account to provide information to the public and to industry about PIN flame retardants, and to communicate with members.
READ MOREEU building recommendations point to fire safety
The European Commission has published in the Official Journal a “Recommendation … on building renovation” pointing to the importance of fire safety.
READ MOREMinnesota bans halogenated FRs in certain products
The Governor of the US State of Minnesota has signed into law a bill banning the sale or distribution of children’s products, upholstered furniture, mattresses or residential textiles (such as window coverings) containing non-polymeric, non-reactive organohalogen flame retardants.
READ MOREHazard assessment of organohalogen flame retardants
A US National Academy of Sciences report proposes that non-polymer, additive, organohalogen FRs, used in consumer products, cannot be treated as a single class for hazard assessment, but can be considered as 14 sub-classes.
READ MOREBarking De Pass fire: timber specifications inadequate
The UK wood materials industry organisation has taken position for more demanding fire safety specifications.
READ MORESurat coaching centre fire, India
22 young people died in a fire in an academic coaching centre in Surat, Gujarat State, India, 24th May 2019. The fire is said to have started with an electrical short-circuit and to have then destroyed the only escape route, a wooden staircase.
READ MORESummary of 3rd UL furniture flammability summit
UL (Underwriters Laboratories) has published the proceedings of the third Furniture Flammability and Human Health Summit, organised with Emory University, Atlanta, 13-14 December 2017.
READ MORE