The following statement is in response to recent news reports on the study on chemicals found in household dust conducted by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC)1.EFRA welcomes the findings of the SSNC study which confirm that exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was below the respective Tolerable Daily Intake. However, we regret the report’s inaccuracy when referring to PBDEs: the terms PBDEs and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are used interchangeably implying that BFRs include only PBDEs. In reality, flame retardants represent a wide group of substances with very different environmental and health profiles as their use is tailored to the variety of materials that need to be rendered fire safe. As such, the term flame retardant describes a function rather than a well-defined group of chemicals.
The major flame retardants have been rigorously assessed under the previous regime to REACH, called the Existing Substances Regulation2 – a process, involving experts from all Member states, the European Commission, industry and public interest groups which identified substances acceptable for marketing and use. At present, flame retardants are going through the REACH Registration process.
EFRA member companies also support efforts to assess endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) through a common EU science-based regulatory framework. In this respect, EFRA welcomes SSNC’s suggestion to address endocrine disruptors and combined effects through REACH and notes that initiatives are currently being developed at EU level towards that end.
At present, there is no commonly accepted framework for identifying and assessing EDCs or combined effects. EFRA believes it is crucial to develop a scientific consensus and on this basis, regulators could refine existing regulations, with the contribution of stakeholders including the chemical industry. EFRA looks forward to the Commission’s proposals on these issues and will be providing together with CEFIC input to both initiatives to ensure that ascience-based regulatory outcome is achieved.