News

Biden-Harris administration launches action to modernise and implement building safety and energy codes across the US.

Combustible cladding is banned on high rise buildings and non FR polyethylene composite panels on all new buildings.

New South Wales Australia shows nearly 44 000 residential fires in ten years, with higher incidence in social housing.

AXA UK warns of increasing fire risks from lithium-ion batteries in electric bicycles and e-scooters. 

Overview of battery fire risks, flame retardant solutions and technology perspectives. 60 pages. 125 references.

Evaluation concludes cyclic aliphatic bromide FR chemicals present unreasonable risk for health and the environment.

Report for Business Finland lists 25 problematic or potentially problematic (under assessment) flame retardants, of which 21 are halogenated FRs and four are organophosphorus FRs

Call for abstracts for leading flame retardant research conference Fire Retardant Polymeric Materials is now open.

Public consultation open to 16/12/2022 asks whether to develop Ecodesign for PV panels. Safety is not mentioned.

pinfa publishes report on possible property-based REACH regulatory grouping of organophosphorus flame retardants.

Pinfa member IMERYS has launched a range of mineral flame retardant (FR) synergists for engineered thermoplastics.

German sports electric car uses Lanxess (pinfa member) non-halogenated flame retardant nylon for charger heat dissipation.

The specialist in polyolefin foams has launched non-halogenated FR versions of Alveolit TA and TL foams.

Radix launches 600V cable, UL 2196 (2 hours) to ensure system reliability in a fire, using non-halogen flame retardants.

Various combinations of fourteen different PIN flame retardants were tested for fire performance and smoke emission in ABS.

All The Shapes Tile & Co. eco-friendly material innovation hub, Liverpool, features PIN flame retardant fire-safe timber.

Researchers propose bio-based “plasterboard” for building, with natural boron PIN fire safety and carbon benefits.

New class of polymeric phosphorus- and boron-based PIN FRs synthetised and fire tested on cotton at lab scale.

A phosphorus – nitrogen PIN flame retardant was developed for PA6 providing gas phase fire performance and anti-drip.

The EU’s Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) has adopted an Opinion supporting Restriction (under REACH) of the chlorinated flame retardant Dechlorane Plus

100 to 130 participants joined the three sessions of pinfa’s webinar on “What are Safe and Sustainable Flame Retardants?” (one hour sessions on each of 27, 28 and 30th June 2022).

Filipe Almeida, Cefic (the European Chemical Industry Federation) underlined that the Green Deal Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability represents a radical step forward in regulation, with important changes in both REACH and CLP (Classification, Labelling and Packaging) within wider actions such as the Sustainable Products Initiative and Ecodesign.

Adrian Beard (Clariant), Chairman of pinfa emphasised that this proposed generic category “flame retardants” is not logical, because it refers to a function and not a family of chemicals.

Laurent Tribut, Schneider Electric (pinfa member) explained that ensuring 50% “green materials” in its products by 2025 is a core element of the company’s sustainability objectives, including both climate and resources, and covering both Schneider Electric and its suppliers.