At PFB Corporation, we are concerned with the future of the planet and the effects that modern life styles may be having on the environment. PFB Corporation is committed to conducting our operations responsibly, mindful of the economic, environmental and social impacts of our operations. We have always placed environmental protection at the highest level of importance in our products, our processes and our practices.
Many materials in our homes and buildings contain flame retardants to reduce the effects of fire on people and property. PFB expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam products contain a small amount of brominated flame retardant in order to meet strict building code requirements and permit safe handling and storage.
PFB expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam products are not hazardous and pose no known risk to humans during their installation or useful life.
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All construction materials must adhere to strict building code fire performance requirements. In order for EPS foams to meet high fire safety standards, a small amount of highly effective brominated flame retardant is added during the manufacturing of the raw material. Flame retardants work to delay the ignition of polystyrene foam insulation and slow the propagation of flame. The flame retardant predominately used for expanded polystyrene is hexabromocyclododecane, HBCD (or HBCDD). This ingredient is added by expanded polystyrene resin manufacturers during the polymerization process and is retained inside the polymer. HBCD poses no known risk to workers or to the final occupants during the service life of the energy saving insulation.
Fire is a chemical reaction between oxygen and a fuel in the gas phase. The mechanisms by which flame retardants act are complex, and can be quite specific to the nature of the material they are protecting. However, one mechanism accounting for the effectiveness of brominated flame retardants is their ability to release active bromine atoms (called free radicals) into the gas phase as the material is decomposed in the fire. These bromine atoms effectively quench the chemical reactions occurring in the flame, reducing the heat generated and slowing or even preventing the burning process. [excerpt from www.ebfrip.com] |
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Plasti-Fab expanded polystyrene (EPS) products for construction applications contain low levels of HBCD (hexabromocyclododecane) flame retardant (about 0.6%). This summary provides basic information regarding HBCD use in Plasti-Fab EPS products Why use a Flame Retardant? All construction materials must adhere to fire safety requirements during their manufacture, transportation and storage. HBCD used in EPS insulation allows it to meet building code fire performance requirements for use as a component in building assemblies and permits safe handling and storage. When EPS containing HBCD is exposed to a fire source the HBCD decomposition products cause flame quenching, so that EPS will not continue to burn when the fire source is removed. While overall fire performance cannot be predicted from small-scale laboratory tests due to the complexity of a real fire situation, the limiting oxygen index test required by EPS insulation standards clearly show that it is much more difficult to ignite EPS made with a flame retardant. Health and Environmental Issues HBCD has undergone a thorough risk assessment for environmental and human health in Europe under the EU Risk Assessment (RA)¹. The conclusions of this scientific assessment identified no risk to consumers. HBCD is not classified as a human carcinogen, mutagen or reprotoxic. Concerns surrounding HBCD are related to its toxicity to certain species in the aquatic environment and the degree to which it may bioaccumulate and persist in the environment. Current information available indicates that HBCD is retained within the EPS polymer matrix and as such does not represent a risk to the environment during the service life or at the end of the life of EPS insulation products. HBCD currently found in the environment was released in the past due to poor control practices and aging equipment used by HBCD producers and users. Emission reduction programs such as SECURE (Self Enforced Control of Use to Reduce Emissions) and VECAP (Voluntary Emissions Control Action Programme) have been implemented in Europe and Japan. These emission reduction programs appear to be having a positive impact and recent studies indicate reductions in HBCD found in the environment. By employing strict product stewardship practices, emissions can be virtually eliminated to prevent any potential impact on the environment. Regulatory Status In Europe, HBCD is currently under review through the REACH² regulations. In Canada, a screening level risk assessment of HBCD is expected to be published by Environment Canada sometime in 2009. There is currently no technically and commercially feasible alternative flame retardant for EPS. PFB Corporation is committed to proactively working with regulatory bodies to ensure appropriate risk management protocols are adopted to ensure environmentally sound sue of HBCD until appropriate alternatives can be identified and commercialized. |
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HBCD (or HBCDD), hexabromocyclododecane is a brominated organic flame retardant used for polystyrene thermal insulation and for some textile products. HBCD flame retardant is not manufactured in Canada. Polystyrene containing HBCD is used in Canada to produce value added thermal insulation materials for the construction industry. HBCD is a cycloaliphatic organobromine compound that is a solid at room temperature with very low solubility in water.
View a video that explains Brominated Flame Retardants a little more indepth. |
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HBCD within EPS foam products does not pose a threat to consumers who use these products or occupy buildings employing energy saving insulation materials.1 Canada Europe International Ref. 2. HBCD Factsheet, June 2009, BSEF Japan |
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During the manufacture of EPS resin, emissions of HBCD are controlled to prevent significant impact on the environment. HBCD currently found in the environment was released in the past due to poor control practices and aging equipment by HBCD producers and users. In Europe HBCD producers and consumers have implemented significant changes to equipment and processes to eliminate emissions of HBCD to the environment. Voluntary emissions control programs known as VECAP and SECURE have been implemented in Europe, Japan and are now available in North America. PFB Corporation has applied the VECAP principles in our EPS resin manufacturing plant and we continue to measure the effectiveness of these control measures. By using strict product stewardship practices emissions can be virtually eliminated. In fact levels of HBCD in the environment have been declining in more recent studies1. Declining concentrations of HBCD is evidence that emission control protocols may be an effective risk management approach. PFB is committed to mitigating the risks associated with our products and their impact on the environment. PFB continues to work with regulatory authorities and industry partners to facilitate collection of data and discussion of the risks associated with the use of HBCD in polystyrene foams. |
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Regulatory agencies assess all materials based on three criteria; persistence, bioaccumulative and toxicity. Persistence refers to how long a compound, if released, will take to degrade in the terrestrial (land) and aquatic environments. Bioaccumulative refers to the degree to which a compound will remain in living organisms and build up over time. Toxicity refers to the degree to which a chemical has or may have a harmful effect on living organisms.
Persistance (P) Decline in levels of HBCD in the environment as a result of emission controls in recent years questions persistence (P) designation. 2, 3 Bioaccumulative (B) Toxicity (T) |
