NEWS
Recycling flame retardant plastics
Jürgen Troitzsch, Fire and Environmental Protection Services, summarised the opportunities for the circular economy for plastics and implications for flame retardants.
READ MOREChallenges for FRs in applications and products
Flame retardants are of increasing interest to Industry, in response to a worldwide increase in fire safety and environment awareness. Sustainability is a key requirement in fire safety, meaning environmentally friendly products, based on green chemistry, green production, and compatible with recycling.
READ MOREResearch into new flame retardant solutions
De-Yi Wang, IMDEA Materials Institute, Madrid, presented different approaches to develop specific nano-materials and architectures as PIN flame retardants in different polymers and the complexity of understanding the mechanisms involved.
READ MOREFire testing and modelling
Richard Lyon, US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), presented work underway by an FAA/industry working group to use milligrams of sample in a microscale combustion calorimeter to compare the fire performance of components (e.g., adhesives, films, potting compounds, fibers, etc.) used in aircraft cabin materials.
READ MOREPrizewinning posters
From the more than 70 posters presented at FRPM 2019, the scientific committee designated three prizewinners, summarised below:
READ MOREPrizewinners’ visions for flame retardants tomorrow
Pinfa asked the poster prizewinners at FRPM to express their vision of challenges for fire safety and for flame retardants for tomorrow.
READ MOREHorizon Europe public consultation
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on Horizon Europe, closing 8th September 2019, including inviting comments on the proposed “Orientations” document which will define the content of Horizon Europe (thematic funding, Missions, Partnerships …).
READ MOREUS EPA consults on bans on DecaBDE and PIP
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published, for public comment to 27th September 2019, a proposal to ban the manufacture, import, processing or sale of products to which DecaBDE and of PIP (phenol isoporopylated phosphate 3:1) have been added, with the exception of aircraft and aerospace, replacement (for DecaBDE) or new (for PIP) automotive parts and recycling of DecaBDE-containing plastics.
READ MOREEFSA consultation on chlorinated paraffins in food
The European Food Safety Agency has opened a public consultation to 17th September 2019 on risks to human and animal health from chlorinated paraffin contamination in food and feed.
READ MOREICL becomes member of pinfa
We are very excited to join pinfa, said Yaniv Kabalek, Senior Vice President, Flame Retardants at ICL. A global specialty minerals and chemicals company, ICL operates bromine, potash, and phosphate mineral value chains in a unique, integrated business model.
READ MOREUK Parliament report on “Toxic Chemicals”
The UK Parliament (Environmental Audit Committee) has published its report on “Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life”, following a Parliamentary public enquiry process (see pinfa Newsletter n°102).
READ MOREUK Government Advice on HPL claddings
The UK Government has issued an official “Advice Note” to building owners concerned by HPL (high pressure laminate) panels in external wall systems, to be read in complement to the December 2018 Advice Note on panel systems.
READ MOREQueensland State to ban “flammable cladding”
The Government of Queensland State, Australia, has announced that it will regulate to ban “flammable cladding” on all new buildings.
READ MOREScotland updates to building fire regulations
The Scottish Government has published updates to building standards, applicable for building work permitted or starting after 1/10/2019, including significant new requirements for fire safety.
READ MOREECHA delays restriction on chlorinated P-ester FRs
The European Chemical Agency, ECHA, has “withdrawn” a proposal to restrict the use of chlorinated phosphorus ester flame retardants (TCEP, TCPP and TDCP, and a mixture of these) in flexible polyurethane foams (PUR) in certain products (see pinfa Newsletter n°92).
READ MOREGoogle commits to use “safer flame retardants” by 2023
Google’s new report “A circular Google in a sustainable world” states as a mission “To accelerate the transition to a circular economy in which business creates environmental, economic, and community value through the maximum reuse of finite resources”.
READ MORERoom tests show UK furniture regulations effective
Nine full-scale furnished room fire tests were carried out with furniture corresponding to current UK, French and US fire safety requirements. The UK Furniture Fire Safety Regulation require both smoulder and open flame fire resistance whereas France (EN 1021-1) and the US (current California TB117-2013) require smouldering cigarette resistance only.
READ MOREMedia recognise value of FRs in protecting cars
Fox2, USA, has published a story warning the public that a water bottle left in a car in the sun can be a fire risk. The article quotes however the Getty Conservation Institute: “seats are designed to be fire-retardant and self-extinguishing, thus your car seat is more likely just have a burned hole in it than to actually catch fire.
READ MOREFires starting in furniture cause 14% of fire deaths
A study of fire statistics in Massachusetts 2003-2016 shows that fires involving furniture caused 14% of all residential fire deaths. Data was assessed from 158 862 residential fires reported as causing human or monetary damage. Fires with no information on fire cause and intentional fires were excluded, leaving 34 081 fires analysed.
READ MOREDimelamine pyrophosphate PIN FR for epoxies
Dimelamine pyrophosphate (DMPY) was synthesised in one step (97% yield) from melamine and sodium pyrophosphate, then tested as a flame retardant in DGEBA/PDA epoxy resin at 0 – 12% loading. UL94-V1 (3.2 mm) was achieved at 8% DMPY and V0 at >9%. LOI was increased by up to 50% (at 12% loading).
READ MOREZinc triazine and APP synergy
A zinc oxide – organic triazine compound (OTCA-ZnO) was prepared and tested as a flame retardant in EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate polymer) in combination with APP (ammonium polyphosphate) at total loading of 25% (App 0-25%, OTCA-ZnO 25-0%) by melt-mixing.
READ MOREPhosphate mine waste effective as FR
“Phosphorus tailings” - waste generated in large quantities by phosphate rock mining (in this study, from Tiaoshuihe phosphate mine, Hubei Sanning Mining, China) were tested as a flame retardant, at 2.5 – 10% loading, with 15 – 25% aluminium hypophosphite, in TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane).
READ MORESulfenamide synergists for PIN FRs
Sulfenamides are organic PIN chemicals containing nitrogen-sulphur bonds and carbon rings. Five different sulfenamides were synthesised, with in some cases additional nitrogen groups, and were tested as synergists to PIN flame retardants in polypropylene (phosphonate ester, aluminium hypophosphite, AHP, ATH, APP).
READ MOREICL joins pinfa
We are very excited to join pinfa, said Yaniv Kabalek, Senior Vice President, Flame Retardants at ICL. ICL is a global specialty minerals and chemicals company operating bromine, potash, and phosphate...
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