Transcript Slide 1

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
Overview
• What is TBBPA?
• EU Risk Assessment Process
– Risk Assessment Status for TBBPA
– Future developments - REACH
• WEEE Directive
– Resource Recovery at Integrated Metals Smelter
• Conclusions
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
What is TBBPA?
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
What is TBBPA?
Tetrabromobisphenol-A
 One of 75 different Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs).
 The largest volume brominated flame retardant in production
worldwide today.
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
Chemical Properties of TBBPA
Br
Br
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
OH
OH
Br
Br
n
 In epoxy resins, TBBPA is a reactive chemical. After
processing, TBBPA does not exist as a free chemical in the
matrix but as part of the polymer chain to make the final
product - e.g. FR4 printed circuit board laminate.
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
The Main Uses of TBBPA
 The
main application of TBBPA is as a reactive flame retardant in
laminates (e.g. epoxy resins) for PWBs (FR4 boards!)
 TBBPA is also used as an additive flame retardant mainly in ABS
plastics.
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
TBBPA Market 1995-2004 (MT)
180,000
170,000
160,000
139,200
140,000
120,000 109,000 111,000
122,300 119,500
129,000
127,000
135,000
104,000
MT
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
Year
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Continued growth in TBBPA global market –shift to the Far East
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
TBBPA MARKET BY APPLICATIONS - 2004
STYRENICS (Mainly ABS)
42,500 MT (24%)
TOTAL SALES – 170,000 MT
EBFRIP
TBBPA derivatives
& oligomers
30,500 MT (18%)
LAMINATES (Epoxy & Phenolics)
96,500 MT (58%)
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU Risk Assessment Process
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU Risk Assessment Proces
Central basis of EU chemical
legislation
• European Regulation 793/93/EC
• Identification of priority chemicals
on the basis of properties
and use volumes (“Priority Lists” 1 - 4)
• Analysis of data on ecological and toxicological properties and on
human and environmental exposure
• Assessment of potential risks to human health and to environment (air,
soil, sediment, water …) – two risk assessment reports are developed!
EU Risk Assessment of several FRs currently
completed or underway
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU Risk Assessment Process
• Three possible outcomes:
Approved
as
Safe
Risk
Reduction
Measures
Ban
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU Risk Assessment Process
Status for TBBPA
• Environmental Report:
– Ongoing
– TBBPA is not a Persistent Bioaccumulative Toxic (PBT)
chemical
• Potential for degradation currently under investigation
– Not readily biodegradable
– 3 tests ongoing to generate more data (sludge, soil, sediment)
• Low bioaccumulation potential
• Toxic to aquatic organisms
• Next EU technical discussion will be held in June 2006.
Finalization is expected at the end of 2006.
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU Risk Assessment Process
Status for TBBPA
• Environmental Classification
– TBBPA is classified with R50/53 – Very Toxic for the
Environment. However:
• Once reacted into the polymer backbone, TBBPA does not
exist anymore & so this classification is of no consequence for
Printed Circuit Boards
• Its use in printed circuit boards is fully compatible with all
existing ecolabels regardless of the classification
– The BFR Industry pro-actively developed a Voluntary
Emissions Reduction & Control Action Program to manage
process emissions of brominated flame retardants
• Co-operation with downstream industry
• Support from the EU Commission & Competent Authorities
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU Risk Assessment Process
Status for TBBPA
Approved
as
Safe
 Human Health Report
 The Human health risk assessment was finalized in
December 2004
 No human health hazard of concern identified
 No risk was identified in the risk assessment
 The European Scientific Committee (SCHER) advising
the European Commission agreed with the conclusions
of the risk assessment
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU Risk Assessment Process
Future developments - REACH
• All substances will undergo a similar type of risk
assessment under REACH!
– Registration, Evaluation & Authorisation of Chemicals
– Requires an evaluation of all uses & all hazard & risk information
for all existing substances
– Special provisions for substances having already undergone a risk
assessment under Regulation 793/93/EC
• Current timing:
– Final adoption of REACH: October 2006?
– Entry into force of REACH: April 2007?
– Deadline for registration of substances > 1000 tonnes : 2011
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
WEEE Directive
Resource Recovery at Integrated Metal Smelter
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
EU WEEE Directive 2002/96/EC
• WEEE = Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment
• WEEE deals with the collection, recovery, reuse and recycling of waste from electrical and
electronic equipment
• Minimum collection, recovery, reuse and recycling targets have been set for different
categories of waste:
small & large household appliances, IT & Telecommunications,
consumer equipment, lighting equipment, electrical &
electronic tools, …
• As a minimum, plastics containing brominated flame retardants;
printed circuit boards (greater than 10 cm2) (and …) have to be
removed –separate treatment from any collected WEEE.
•Amendment to allow direct inclusion to incineration and
metallurgical processes without separation has been tabled!
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
WEEE Directive
Resource Recovery at Integrated Metal Smelter
Partners are PlasticsEurope, European Flame Retardants
Association (EFRA) and Umicore
- Trial run in September 2004
- Full scale run (750 t/d) of 2 successive campaigns :
- Blank test
- Basic feed + 0% plastic + 4.5 % coke
- Followed by Blank + plastics test
- Basic feed + 6% plastic + 1 % coke
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
WEEE Directive
Resource Recovery at Integrated Metal Smelter
• Observations from the trial :
– 55% of plastics is used as reducing agent and substitute primary
carbon-sources
– Process stability : no negative influence.
– Reducing capacity of plastics in the smelter is proven.
• Based of the test results, capacity of Umicore for
– E&E plastic with metals (80% of plastic) > 15 000 t/y
– Printed Circuit Boards (contains 25% plastic) > 45 000 t/y
• The Flemish Waste Administration granted Umicore a
permit for handling WEEE plastics plus agreed this should
be part of recycle quota in the WEEE directive
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
Conclusions
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
Conclusions
• TBBPA is fully compatible with electronic waste recycling
and recovery:
– Precious metals recycling is driving printed circuit board recovery
– Compatible with the requirements of the WEEE Directive
• TBBPA is currently one of the most tried and tested flame
retardants with data supporting its sustainable use:
–
–
–
–
It is undergoing an extensive EU risk assessment
It is not a PBT chemical
The general toxicity profile is very good
Once reacted into the brominated epoxy resin like FR4 printed circuit
boards, it becomes integrated in the polymer
– It is cost-effective
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
Conclusions
• Conclusions are in line with the IPC White Paper &
Technical Report on Halogen-free Materials used for
Printed Circuit Boards & Assemblies (IPC-WP/TR-584,
April 2003):
There is no data indicating that the halogenated
flame retardants presently used in printed
circuit boards present any significant
environment or health hazard”
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
Conclusions
• IPC Conclusions:
– “Halogen-free” is a marketing term only & IPC will not advocate a
conversion from TBBPA;
– TBBPA has no health, environmental or regulatory issues that
exclude its use; there is no legislation or regulations, pending or
otherwise, calling for the removal of TBBPA currently;
– Although halogenated FRs have been in use for many decades,
there have been no reports of illness or death attributable to their
use & in fact injuries and/or death are known hazards of the fires
associated with non-FR electronic equipment;
– There is currently no data indicating that any of the materials being
considered as replacements are any better or worse for the
environment.
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of
For more information, visit:
www.ebfrip.org
www.bsef.com
EBFRIP
European Brominated Flame Retardant Industry Panel
A sector group of