Evaluation concludes cyclic aliphatic bromide FR chemicals present unreasonable risk for health and the environment. The US federal Environment Protectional Agency (EPA) final risk determination covers the cluster of cyclic aliphatic bromide chemicals, including the brominated flame retardant hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). EPA notes that HBCD has been completely replaced in the US. It is also banned in Europe as POP (persistent organic pollutant). The “whole chemical” risk determination “finds that HBCD presents an unreasonable risk of injury to human health and the environment when evaluated under its conditions of use”, driven by risks from import, processing, recycling, commercial use, and disposal. EPA will now propose federal regulatory action.
The EPA “whole chemical” approach makes a safety determination which does not differentiate between uses requiring further risk management measures from those which do not, so effectively considering that if some conditions of use pose risk then all uses should be regulated.
“Risk Evaluation for Cyclic Aliphatic Bromide Cluster (HBCD)”, US EPA, June 2022 https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/risk-evaluation-cyclic-aliphatic-bromide-cluster-hbcd
US EPA “whole chemical” approach under TCSA https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-path-forward-tsca-chemical-risk-evaluations