A report produced by the non-profit organization, ChemSec, suggests that it’s technically and economically feasible to replace brominated flame retardants and PVC in electronic products. According to ChemSec, the report, “Electronics without brominated flame retardants and PVC - a Market Overview,” lists more than 500 product models on the market today, for example mobile phones, computers, washing machines, coffee machines and TVs, free or almost free from PVC and brominated flame retardants. Products from 28 companies, among them Acer, Apple, HP, Nokia, Philips, Samsung and Sony Ericsson are listed in the report.
“Since many electronic companies have already removed brominated flame retardants and PVC, EU legislators now have a unique opportunity to restrict the use of these problematic substances in all electronic products and thus show the way for the rest of the electronics industry,” says Frida Hök, a ChemSec project coordinator
The European Parliament Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee will vote regarding the recast of the RoHS Directive in the beginning of June, and the vote in the European Parliament plenary is planned for July.
“An EU restriction on the use of brominated flame retardants in electronics would not only reduce the amount of hazardous substances in our environment, but also has the potential to contribute to new jobs in the EU, as many of the alternatives to brominated flame retardants are produced in Europe,” says Anne-Sofie Andersson, ChemSec’s Director.
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