Regulatory developments in North America that will affect the use of flame retardants: Fid-Bau Portal

Regulatory developments in North America that will affect the use of flame retardants

Hirschler, Marcelo M.

Requirements associated with fire safety in North America, and especially in the US, are based on a combination of federal government (and local government) regulation and codes and standards issued by private organizations. Some of the recent regulatory developments of interest address several products and occupancies and will affect the use of flame retardants, both in a positive and in a negative fashion. In both the US and Canada there has been activity regarding: plenum cables, trains and underground passenger vehicles and cigarettes. In the US alone there has been activity regarding mattresses, upholstered furniture, filled bed products, children's playgrounds and siding. The developments and their implications are discussed in the paper. The lack of negative changes in the requirements for plenum cables in North America is the single development that probably will have the greatest effect in retaining an important market for flame retardants. This application was threatened by the potential to require a level of fire performance that cannot be achieved by the use of flame retardants. Positive developments for both fire safety and flame retardants have occurred in the areas of rail transportation vehicles (underground and above ground) and children's playgrounds. Similarly, changes are occurring in the areas of regulated upholstered furniture and mattresses in high risk environments. Positive developments for fire safety but not necessarily for flame retardants have occurred in the area of residential mattresses. The potential exists for positive developments in the area of fire safety and in the use of flame retardants for polypropylene siding and for filled bed products. The prognosis for positive developments of any kind in the area of residential upholstered furniture looks very bleak. Finally, there is an area which is likely to lead to tremendous improvements in fire safety but will, at best, not affect the use of flame retardants: the requirements for cigarettes to have reduced ignition propensity. In conclusion, the best way to effectively affect the use of flame retardants is to promote effective means of improving fire safety. It is essential, however, to recognize the legitimate concerns expressed by honest opponents of the use of flame retardants and to remain vigilant and ensure that changes in requirements are always associated with safe use of flame retardant materials.