EU tightens PBDE restrictions
The PBDE brominated flame retardants are listed as POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) under the global Stockholm convention and in the EU POPs Regulation 2019/1021. PBDEs are no longer manufactured or used in Europe. Because they are considered persistent, bioaccumulative and with potential for adverse effects on human health and aquatic organisms, the Commission is reducing the limit levels, with higher limits tolerated for recycled materials in order to not block plastics recycling. The level of total PBDEs in mixtures and articles (finished products) is reduced from 500 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg, but with a higher limit of 500 mg/kg progressively reduced to 200 mg/kg by end 2027 for recycled materials. The separate limit of 10 mg/kg in substances (chemicals sold in Europe) is maintained for each PBDE individually (PentaBDE, HexaBDE, HeptaBDE and DecaBDE).
Commission Delegated Regulation modifying the POPs Regulation, C(2025)4797 final, 24th July 2025, pending publication https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=PI_COM:C(2025)4797
