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. This responds to a US CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) question, following acceptance by CPSC of a 2015 petition from certain stakeholders for consideration of a ban of all organohalogen FRs in some categories of consumer products (children’s products, upholstered furniture, mattresses, electronics casings). The 14 classes are proposed, after consideration of some 161 different organohalogen FR chemicals, on the basis of a combination of structural, physico-chemical and biological properties. Stated objectives are more efficient assessments and avoiding regrettable substitutions of substances.
The 14 classes proposed by NAS are: Polyhalogenated alicycles, Polyhalogenated aliphatic carboxylate, Polyhalogenated aliphatic chains, Polyhalogenated benzene alicycles, Polyhalogenated benzene aliphatics and functionalized, Polyhalogenated benzenes, Polyhalogenated bisphenol aliphatics and functionalized, Polyhalogenated carbocycles, Polyhalogenated diphenyl ethers, Polyhalogenated organophosphates (OPs), Polyhalogenated phenol derivatives, Polyhalogenated phenol–aliphatic ether, Polyhalogenated phthalates/benzoates/imides, Polyhalogenated triazines
“Organohalogen Flame Retardants Used in Consumer Products Cannot Be Assessed for Hazards as a Single Class, But Can Be Assessed in Subclasses, Says New Report”, US National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, 15th May 2019 http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=25412 and report “A Class Approach to Hazard Assessment of Organohalogen Flame Retardants” https://doi.org/10.17226/25412