NEWS

NEWS

BSEF believes in the continued safety of DBDPE despite Canadian draft Regulation for a restriction – A 60-day public commentary period has opened for stakeholder contributions

DBDPE is a flame retardant used in many applications, including plastic and rubber materials, electrical and electronic equipment, adhesives and sealants. It inhibits and/or suppresses the combustion process by reducing the overall heat release and slowing the spread of flames.

On 14th May, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada’s federal department for environment published the draft Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2022, which outlines the restriction for the manufacture, use, sale, import of DBDPE, and products containing DBDPE.

BSEF has the continued belief that the use of DBDPE remains safe in its various applications, which has been confirmed by new data and robust measurements. Removing DBDPE from the Canadian market is unwarranted based on the data provided by manufacturers and the lack of available alternatives.

As stated by NAFRA, The North American Flame Retardant Alliance; “Canada’s regulatory proposal for DBDPE is not supported by the state of the science, does not align with global regulations, and has the potential to create inconsistencies and disruptions …. Fire safety is a critical public health issue, and flame retardants such as DBDPE are an important tool to help protect the public from the dangers posed by fire.’’

Interested parties are encouraged to file a Notice of Objection and Request for Board of Review by 13th July 2022 (email to ec.interdiction-prohibition.ec@ec.gc.ca), and participate in the public consultation on the proposed Regulations (Canada Gazette, Part I, May 14, 2022), which will run until 28th July.