Real-Time Substitution Decisions Chemical Alternative Assessment for Pentabromodiphenyl Ether

Informing Real-Time Substitution Decisions Chemical Alternative Assessment for Pentabromodiphenyl Ether 

Under pressure from the EPA and others, the manufacturer of pentaBDE voluntarily moved to phase out production at the end of 2004. The EPA believed that it was important both to inform the substitution decisions that would inevitably result from this phase out, and to understand the potential for unintended consequences that could result. Alternatives were identified that could meet fire safety requirements but that did not pose the same level of concern as pentaBDE. This alternative assessment complemented EPA regulatory action, a significant new use rule ( SNUR ), that prevented future manufacture of pentaBDE without prior notification to the EPA, effectively a ban on the chemical. The results from the alternatives assessment were used by foam manufacturers to make real-time decisions on substitutions to alternative flame retardants. 

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