FRs are < 5% of total melamine use, mainly as an intermediate for melamine compounds, several of which qualify for Ecolabels. The German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) stakeholder consultation on melamine, July 2021, aims to identify areas of potential risk (RMO Analysis: Risk Management Options). Pinfa input estimates that all applications of melamine in fire safety is <5% of total melamine use (fire safety applications do not include “melamine foam”) and that the largest fire safety use is as an intermediate for production of melamine compounds, in particular melamine phosphate, melamine polyphosphate, melamine cyanurate, melamine-poly(zinc phosphate), melamine borate. Certain melamine compounds are validated in TCO and Ökotex ecolabels. Melamine itself is not significantly present in these compounds (usually < 0.1%). Melamine itself is also used in smaller quantities for fire safety in e.g. foams, rubbers, intumescent coatings. There is no significant exposure to consumers. pinfa notes that demand for melamine compounds in fire safety is expected to increase (c.f. several market studies) as a result of increasingly demanding fire safety regulations and the move away from halogenated FRs. Also, R&D publications show potential for new melamine compounds in innovative future fire safety solutions.
BAuA (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin) RMO analysis consultation for Melamine https://link.webropolsurveys.com/Participation/ShowResponseSummary?surveyId=b9b3f132-c546-46b1-8544-faa89c320061&responseId=5394deaf-0c4f-4dae-8c12-df2aff7bb23c