Only for 12,90 EUR

Flame retardant additive suppliers feel the heat

von Dr. Gupta Verlag

The chemical industry is increasingly called upon to meet the complex performance requirements of many everyday consumer products. Increasing the safety of textiles, furniture, electronic and electrical equipment, and construction products, by reducing their flammability, lowering or eliminating VOCs and odours, improving durability, UV stability, increasing energy efficiency, while reducing global warming and ozone depletion; all this whilst also minimising the long term impact of these products on health and the environment. The polyurethane chemical industry has been remarkably responsive over decades to adopting new requirements, and yet there remains a highly vocal chemophobic lobby that appears to be unable to make a balanced assessment of benefits and hazards of the many products which the industry has developed or appreciation of the costs and efforts associated with developing alternatives. Blowing agents, diisocyanates, solvents, and amines have all come under scrutiny, but this year all eyes are looking at a California’s proposal to revise TB 117, which could effectively eliminate flame retardants from flexible foams used in furniture.