What Are The Risks Of Flame Retardants?

The application of flame retardants is regarded as an effective way to prevent fire, but the harm of flame retardants to the environment and human beings cannot be ignored. Items containing certain flame retardants gradually release toxic chemicals into the water and air. After being absorbed by the human body, these toxic chemicals can accumulate in the human body for a long time and disturb the nervous, endocrine, immune and other systems of the human body. It is particularly noteworthy that if pregnant women are exposed to these toxic substances excessively, it will lead to low birth weight, low intelligence and impaired behavioral ability of the newborn. In addition, some flame retardants when burning, will produce a lot of smoke and toxic, harmful, corrosive gases, causing a "secondary disaster".
As a common pollutant, brominated flame retardants are persistent and easy to accumulate in the human body, which can interfere with the endocrine, immune and nervous systems of the human body, cause hyperactivity and learning difficulties in children, and lead to decreased sperm quality and infertility in adults. Brominated flame retardants also release carcinogens when incinerated.
Heat-stabilized hexabromocyclodecane products are added flame retardants, mainly used as polystyrene (added 2%), polypropylene (added 2%+ antimony trioxide 1%), high impact polystyrene, polypropylene, ABS, polyethylene, polycarbonate, unsaturated polyester and other flame retardants.
Harm: high toxicity. Attention should be paid to protection. In addition, debromination of hexabromocyclododecane becomes intense above 190℃. Hydrogen bromide vapors are even more damaging. It produces toxic and harmful fumes when used as a flame retardant.
The harm of flame retardants to the environment has led to the introduction of relevant laws and regulations around the world to limit the use of flame retardants. At present, China has issued the Limit Standard of Hazardous Substances in plastic Furniture (GB28481-2012), which stipulates that the use of polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers should not exceed 1g per Kg.