EPA Announces Safer Substitutes for Flame Retardants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing safer alternatives to the flame retardants hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE), currently used in building insulation and products with flexible polyurethane foam. 

Both HBCD and pentaBDE are already banned in some states due to concerns for human health and the environment.  EPA suggests replacing them with brominated copolymer and oligomeric phosphonate polyol.  For the full reports, please see EPA’s website.

The Chanler Group represents citizen enforcers who, acting in the public interest, commence actions against businesses offering products for sale in California that contain chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm without first providing the health hazard warning required by Proposition 65. Citizen enforcers bringing Proposition 65 actions in the public interest may obtain a Court Judgment imposing civil penalties, an injunction requiring reformulation of products, and/or provision of health hazard warnings. The Chanler Group has represented citizen enforcers of Proposition 65 for more than twenty years.