
The European Commission is currently developing (unpublished) proposed “Ecodesign” criteria (under Directive 2009/125/EC on Ecodesign Requirements for Energy-Related Products) for electronic display screens (monitors). Proposed objectives for the criteria include eliminating substances classified as toxic, carcinogenic or dangerous for the environment and halogenated flame retardants. The draft EU document notes that brominated flame retardants pose a major issue for polymer recycling and that they should be prohibited in displays or in display stands. The proposed criteria further requests documentation of all plastic parts >50g which contain flame retardants, specifying the polymer and the family of flame retardant. For these purposes, the document refers to standard ISO 1043-4 “Plastics – symbols and abbreviated terms – part 4: flame retardants”. This ISO Standard defines a flame retardant as follows: ($3.1) “a substance that markedly retards the propagation of a flame”. It specifies 42 different families of flame retardants, e.g. three families for organic phosphorus FRs (non-halogenated, brominated, chlorinated), or fifteen families for inorganic flame retardants.
ISO 1043-4 “Plastics – symbols and abbreviated terms – part 4: flame retardants” https://www.evs.ee/products/evs-en-iso-1043-4-2000