pinfa’s General Assembly discussed directions for PIN FRs in the context of the new EU Chemicals Strategy and the Green Deal. Online 3rd March 2021, the meeting brought together 41 participants from 21 pinfa members companies, along with representatives of pinfa North America and pinfa China. Pinfa’s two major recent projects, on recycling of plastics containing PIN FRs and on smoke toxicity of flame retarded and non flame retarded synthetic and natural materials will deliver full reports shortly. Discussion is engaged with downstream user industries on a position on FRs and recycling.
pinfa is now actively working on opportunities for PIN FRs under the new EU Chemicals Strategy (see pinfa Newsletter n°119). Discussions included how to address the questioning of whether FRs are needed for fire safety and the meaning of “Essential Use” in the Chemicals Strategy, demands for more toxicity / ecotoxicity data, and how to take forward opportunities for EU support for innovation in new sustainable PIN FR solutions. Collaboration with science and NGOs is seen as important to independently validate sustainability of PIN FRs, and with industry and users to implement FR innovation along the value chain (production, compounding, use, products, recycling).