Flame retardant-polybrominated diphenyl ethers

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs, are used as flame retardant in a wide array of products, including building materials, electronics, furnishings, motor vehicles, airplanes, plastics, polyurethane foams, and textiles. They are structurally akin to the PCBs and other polyhalogenated compounds, consisting of two halogenated aromatic rings.

PBDEs bioaccumulate in blood, breast milk, and fat tissues. Bioaccumulation is of particular concern in such instances, especially for personnel in recycling and repair plants of PBDE-containing products.

photo source: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/detox/electronics/


People are also exposed to these chemicals in their domestic environment because of their prevalence in common household items.  PBDEs have been found in common foods such as salmon, ground beef, butter, and cheese and also in indoor dust, sewage sludge, and effluents from wastewater treatment plants.

There is also growing concern that PBDEs share the environmental long life and bioaccumulation properties of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. With levels found in households, PBDEs could reduce fertility in humans. Because of their toxicity and persistence, the industrial production of some PBDEs is restricted under the Stockholm Convention, a treaty to control and phase out major persistent organic pollutants (POPs).

Despite of the regulations,  there is still huge amount of PBDEs in products in use.
A recent study has estimated 60% of the stock of PBDEs (most Deca-Mixture) in 2014 will remain in the use phase in 2020. Such estimation considers only the first use (no reuse and/or storage) of PBDE-containing products. Additional PBDEs will be in the use phase in the future via reuse of PBDE containing material.

For more information in PBDE stock and emissions, read this article recently published in Environmental Science & Technology