Flame Retardants and Fire Safety TUR Planner Continuing Education Conference April 9, 2015 Bedford, MA Liz Harriman - TURI
Flame Retardant Session Overview Introduction - Marty Ahrens National Fire Protection Association Flame Retardants of Concern Health Effects and Exposures Courtney Carignan Harvard School of Public Health Flame Retardant Evaluations at USEPA Emma Lavoie US EPA 2
Fire Safety Introduction Marty Ahrens National Fire Protection Association 3
Flame Retardants and TUR Planning TURA listed Chemicals: TBBPA - CAS 79-94-7 EPA PBT 100 lb use threshold Antimony Compounds (including antimony trioxide, ATO) Deca BDE CAS 1163-19-5 9 Voluntary US phase out by end of 2013 Tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate (TDBPP or Tris BP) - CAS 126-72-7 EPA SNUR; not in 2012 TSCA inventory 4-Bromophenyl phenyl ether (4-BDE) - CAS 101-55-3 Not in 2012 TSCA Inventory 4
Flame Retardants and TUR Planning Non-TURA listed Chemicals Non-reportable/Exempt Toxics alternative/rc planning provisions under TURA 1. Energy 2. Water 3. Materials That Contribute to Solid Waste 4. Toxic Substances Used Below Threshold 5. Chemical Substances Exempt from TURA Reporting 5
Planning for Non-reportable and Exempt Chemicals Toxics below threshold Emerging, unlisted hazards Less hazardous substances with substantial resource conservation potential Toxics in laboratories Toxics in pilot plant production Toxics in janitorial uses Toxics in products sold Toxics in articles used in facility 6
Focus on the best opportunities Think about: High risk substances Customer s Restricted Substances Lists Situations where alternatives are apparent High volume substances Substances with substantial hidden or potential costs 7
Why do we use Flame Retardants? We use polymerized fuels (hydrocarbons) as materials of construction Flame Retardants are an attempt to delay ignition of flammable materials Fire safety and flammability standards, building codes, insurance co. standards 8
Flame Retardant (FR) Substances Halogens Bromine (BFRs), Chlorine Phosphorous Antimony Metal salts and hydroxides Nitrogen 9
Where are flame retardants used? http://www.drenergysaver.com RTP Co. 10
Flame Retardants of Concern Health Effects and Exposures Dr. Courtney Carignan Harvard School of Public Health 11
Flame Retardant Evaluations at USEPA Emma Lavoie US EPA 12
Analyze Functional Use 1. Chemical 2. Material 3. Product Re-design 4. Process Change 5. Eliminate the Use / Need for Function 6. Systems change Product Material Chemical Systems change 13
Furniture Flame Retardant Alternatives Polyurethane foam cushions in furniture Material: higher density foam, cotton or wool, feathers/down Product Material Chemical Systems change Dwell Studio, Inc Product: plastic mesh (no foam), barrier fabric over foam 14 14
Furniture Flame Retardant Alternatives Product Material Chemical Polyurethane foam cushions in furniture (cont.) Eliminate need: refine tests to determine whether FRs needed and in what products Systems change Process change: sprinklers, other ways of extinguishing fires Systems change: less stuff, less of built environment from fuel Credit: William Schulz/C&EN 15 15
Identify Flame Retardant Alternatives: Polystyrene Foam Product Material Chemical Dow Chemical Building Insulation Foam HBCDD used in rigid extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam Material phenolic foam, fiberglass blanket, rock wool, cellulose http://www.subsport.eu CertainTeed Saint-Gobain Eliminate need FR not required with thermal barrier (e.g., concrete) Systems change: Code changes required EcoCell Building Science Corp. 16 16
Identify Flame Retardant Alternatives: Wire and Cable Product Material Chemical Wire and Cable Insulation and Jacketing Material Cross linked polyethylene (XLPE), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) May use non-halogen FRs (metal hydroxide, phosphorus, nano-clays) Systems change building design, eliminating wire and cable from plenum spaces Belden, Inc. Extron Electronics 17 17
Q&A Thank-you Marty Ahrens Courtney Carignan Emma Lavoie Liz Harriman harriman@turi.org www.turi.org Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute University of Massachusetts Lowell 600 Suffolk St. Suite 501 Lowell, MA 01854 18