ChemFORWARD Provides Evidence to ECHA of Safer Flame Retardants

ChemFORWARD submits comments to ECHA’s call for evidence on alternatives to aromatic brominated flame retardants highlighting more than 35 potential safer functional alternatives.

ChemFORWARD is a science-based non-profit building a digital repository of comprehensive chemical hazard assessments (CHAs) with a focus on safer alternatives. In partnership with Apple and Google, ChemFORWARD has identified over 95 phosphorus-based and other non-halogenated flame retardants used in electronics. ECHA recently issued a call for comments and evidence regarding certain aromatic brominated flame retardants, all of which do not meet ChemFORWARD’s definition of safer chemistry (Hazard Bands D & F). A review of existing chemicals in the ChemFORWARD repository revealed 35 potentially safer functional alternatives to aromatic brominated flame retardants  (Hazard Bands A, B, and C) that were highlighted in the ECHA call for evidence.

The ChemFORWARD repository also provides physical/chemical properties, material compatibility, and functional application which can support the identification of safer and functional alternatives to specific aromatic brominated flame retardants. 

ChemFORWARD submitted details on these findings to ECHA in June 2024. Comments are expected to be publicly available on the ECHA website, and are copied here for reference. 

For more information on ChemFORWARD’s approach, please see the website. 

For questions or comments, please contact info@chemforward.org.