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EPA’s Project Plan for Polybrominated Diphenyl

Ethers

Region 2 Science Day WorkshopOctober 25, 2005

Daniel AxelradU.S. EPA

Office of Policy, Economics and Innovationaxelrad.daniel@epa.gov

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Uses of PBDEs

PentaBDE Foam in furniture, mattresses, automobile seats Prior to U.S. phaseout:

8,000 tons/year worldwide; 95% used in the U.S.

OctaBDE Plastics in electronics Prior to U.S. phaseout:

4,000 tons/year worldwide; 40% used in U.S.

DecaBDE Plastics in electronics, wire/cable insulation, textiles 62,000 tons/year worldwide; 44% used in U.S.

(industry data for 2001)

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PBDEs Status - U.S. U.S. production of pentaBDE/octaBDE phased out

TSCA Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) – will require premanufacture notification to EPA

Many initiatives in states, such as: California 2006 ban on products with penta/octa New York, Maine and Hawaii have adopted laws similar to

California’s, and other states are considering similar actions

CPSC flammability standards for residential upholstered furniture - potential to increase demand for decaBDE and other flame retardants EPA intends to propose a TSCA SNUR – prior notification

to EPA of flame retardants for use in residential upholstered furniture

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Activities of Other Federal Agencies

NTP: Conducting toxicology studies of commercial pentaBDE and selected congeners

CDC: Measuring U.S. body burdens of PBDEs Sampling in 2003-04; data may be available in 2006

NIST: Studying migration of PBDEs from plastics in electronics components

CPSC: furniture flammability standardUSDA: Methods for measuring PBDEs in meats

and poultry; research on PBDEs metabolism FDA: Planning a program to measure PBDEs in

food and feed

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Developing EPA’s Project Plan for PBDEs

Workgroup members from across the Agency Identifies current activities and next steps

for PBDEs What is being done in EPA’s programs Additional activities to be initiated Not a detailed strategy

Focus on four objectives1. Assess substitutes for pentaBDE/octaBDE2. Assess and evaluate decaBDE3. Assess risks of pentaBDE and octaBDE4. Track other brominated flame retardants

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Objective 1: Assess Substitutes for pentaBDE and octaBDE Background: Market is in transition; industry is

choosing alternatives. What are the potential risks of substitutes?

Key Activities include:EPA’s Furniture Flame Retardancy Partnership has

conducted a screening level hazard/exposure assessment of pentaBDE substitutes.

The Partnership will develop a process for identifying and developing data needed to assess potential risks of flame retardant chemicals used in furniture.

http://www.epa.gov/dfe/projects/flameret/index.htm

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Objective 2: Assess and Evaluate Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE)

Background: Use of decaBDE continues. Key issues include risk from decaBDE itself and its contribution to formation of lower-brominated breakdown products.

Key Activities include: IRIS review of decaBDE toxicology – completion in 2006

Through the Voluntary Children’s Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP), EPA is seeking the development of data needed to address the environmental fate of decaBDE.http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/vccep/chem21.htm

CPSC furniture flammability standard would potentially increase demand for decaBDE. EPA intends to will propose a TSCA SNUR that will enable EPA to review decaBDE (and other flame retardants) in this use before use begins.

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Objective 3: Assess Risks of pentaBDE and

octaBDE Background: Voluntary phaseout of US production of

pentaBDE and octaBDE as of the end of 2004; stocks are stored in existing products.

Key Activities include: EPA proposed a TSCA SNUR in Fall 2004, enabling

EPA to receive advance notification of plans to manufacture or import pentaBDE or octaBDE.

EPA is conducting IRIS reviews for tetra-, penta-, and hexaBDE congeners - completion in 2006.

Under VCCEP, EPA has identified 2-generation reproductive toxicity studies as data needs for pentaBDE and octaBDE. http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/vccep/chem22.htm

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Objective 4: Track Developments Concerning Other BFRs of Interest

Background: PBDEs are not the only BFRs of potential interest.

Key Activities include: EPA will review scientific developments on other

brominated flame retardants, and will engage in further research, risk assessment and risk management as the need develops.

EPA will continue to scrutinize new flame retardants proposed for manufacture and import into the U.S. market and, where appropriate, will seek development of additional data on such chemicals by their manufacturers under TSCA Section 5 authorities.

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Next Steps

Complete drafting and review of Project Plan

Release plan on EPA web site – projected for December 2005

http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pbde/

Implement Key Activities identified in the plan