pinfa publishes report on possible property-based REACH regulatory grouping of organophosphorus flame retardants. The 60 page assessment was commissioned from chemical science and risk expert, Peter Fisk (Green Chemical Design). The report notes that sometimes all organic phosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are considered to have similar health and environmental hazards, but that there is no solid basis for this. OPFRs have different physical-chemical, toxicological, ecotoxicological and environmental fate properties, based on many reliable studies included in the publicly available REACH dossiers. Any grouping should be based on scientific methodology. Six main groups are proposed based on molecular structure, physico-chemical properties and octanol-water partition coefficient (KOW, an indicator of whether the substance is water soluble), which are generally consistent with ecotoxicology: Trialkyl phosphates, Triaryl phosphates, Monoalkyldiaryl phosphates, Chloroalkyl phosphates, Bisaryl phosphates, Phosphonates. Toxicological properties can however differ within certain of these groups, so that substances with specific structures may need to treated separately, and certain OPFRs do not fit into any of these groups. Extrapolation from one group to another is not feasible and not scientifically justified.
“Report for pinfa: Grouping of organophosphorus flame retardants in the context of REACH”, Peter Fisk, Green Chemical Design, 21 July 2022 https://www.pinfa.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/P-Fisk_organophosphorus_flame_retardants_grouping_for_pinfa_2022-07_final.pdf