Swedish PIN flame retardant producer, Paxymer, has published proposals to modify the Sweden government’s proposals for an ‘Ecotax’ on electrical and electronic equipment, targeting flame retardants (pinfa Newsletter n°66).
The company says that the current proposal, by punishing all flame retardants, will block innovation by failing to distinguish FR’s with better environmental and health profiles. Paxymer says that the proposed Sweden legislation should be modified in order to achieve substitution of hazardous FRs by defining the tax by hazard not by function, by referring to existing classification systems and by fixing a clear timeline for implementation. For information: pinfa has submitted that the current text, by proposing to tax all phosphorus flame retardants, would impact research and innovation aimed at finding better alternatives to currently used FRs which can offer fire safety, reduced smoke emissions and optimal health and environmental safety. pinfa has also met with the Swedish Authorities to propose the elaboration of better targeted proposals.
“Debate: Chemicals tax in Sweden hampers innovation. Here is how to fix it.” NyTeknik, 31 August 2016. Full in Swedish http://www.nyteknik.se/opinion/nya-kemikalielagen-bromsar-innovationer-6779702 and summary in English http://paxymer.se/paxymer-nyteknik-fix-new-chemicals-legislation/