Halogenated flame retardants in plastic and rubber parts

Labelling

If a supplier used an ecolabel to prove that the requirement is met, it must be ensured that there is a valid license, certification or equivalent for the product in question. This can be checked:  TCO Certified.

Documentation based on technical documentation

If the requirement is verified by documentation from the product manufacturer, request the technical documentation for all flame retardants that are used, in order to ensure that they are not halogenated.

According to the Ecodesign Regulation (EU No 2019/2021), from 1 March 2021, halogenated flame retardants may not be used in enclosures and stands for displays. This requirement covers all plastic and rubber parts of the product that contain flame retardant, and thus goes beyond the Ecodesign Regulation (EU No 2019/2021).

The exemption for circuit boards increases the range of products available that meet the above requirement.

There is a separate requirement that covers halogens in cables; see Requirement ID 11174.

Flame retardants are used to prevent or delay a material from catching fire. Halogenated flame retardants, such as brominated flame retardant, are toxic, can accumulate in living organisms and do not degrade in the environment.¹ Brominated flame retardants can be transported over great distances through the air and remain in the environment for a very long time. They are found in relatively high levels in the environment as pollutants in water, sediments and aquatic organisms etc.²

According to the regulation on ecodesign requirements for electronic displays 2019/2021, halogenated flame retardants may not be present in enclosures or stands for electronic displays, but other plastic and rubber parts are not regulated.

The exception for circuit boards is included since there are not many circuit boards on the market that meet the requirement regarding halogenated flame retardants. Circuit boards must nevertheless meet the regulatory requirements regarding flame retardants.

Fluoroorganic substances added to modify droplet behaviour in the case of fire (how the plastic melts in a fire) are exempted in order to ensure that products meet safety standards. Homogeneous material refers to each plastic part, so that the amount of fluoroorganic substances are exempted up to 0.5% by weight for each individual plastic part.

Both exceptions are harmonised with TCO Certified to make it possible to use TCO Certified as verification.

¹Source: https://www.kemi.se/privatpersoner/kemiska-amnen/flamskyddsmedel

²Source: https://www.naturvardsverket.se/amnesomraden/miljofororeningar/organiska-miljogifter/flamskyddsmedel-i-miljon/

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