The IBP, a joint cross-industry initiative of BSEF, India’s bromine industry and the Indian Chemical Council (ICC) started in 2019, organized their first virtual meeting on November 6th, 2020. The aim of this meeting was to discuss the milestones achieved by the group and set a roadmap for the next year taking into account the recent developments and the dynamic...
The Chinese Flame Retardant Association (CFRS) Annual Conference was held in Zhuhai on October 18-22, 2020. Hu Qianlin, secretary general of the Chinese Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation (CPCIF), said that China’s flame retardant industry is facing some challenges such as the lack of leading companies; the industrial structure is unreasonable, high-end products are dependent on imports, and low-end products are...
In October and November, ABICHAMA participated in three of the main events regarding fire safety in Brazil. The association’s president, Lilian Salim, gave a presentation about the "Applicability of ABNT NBR 16405:2015 in upholstered furniture for fire prevention" during the National Passive Protection Seminar (Rio de Janeiro webinar) on November 19th, and reinforced the benefits of the use of flame retardants,...
In this edition of Meet the Experts, Nuno Bacharel, Communications Manager at BSEF, speaks to Dr. Guillermo Rein, Professor of Fire Science at Imperial College London, about the history and future of fire safety. Guillermo also explains how flame retardants, such as Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs), reduce the flammability of polymers. Dr. Rein describes fire as “the greatest discovery of humanity”....
In 2001, the European Commission published the EU’s General Product Safety Directive (GPSD), a directive ensuring safe products are sold on the market. 20 years later the GPSD is open for consultation. What are the new challenges? The hyper connected society that we live in, together with the increasing number of electronic devices at our homes and offices. Flame retardants...
Bromine and brominated organohalogens are often misunderstood and considered problematic for man and the environment. However, this perception masks a fascinating and surprising reality. BSEF recently invited Dr. Gordon W. Gribble, a leading expert on bromine and brominated organohalogens from Dartmouth College in the United States, to discuss the origin of bromine and the perceived risks associated with it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObF9O2rOcKU Bromine and...
Tetrabromobisphenol-a, TBBPA is the most commonly used brominated flame retardant due to its effectiveness, applicability, safety and regulatory status. Used all around the world, TBBPA is a substance registered for use in the European Union under the REACH legislation. The EU risk assessment of TBBPA found that the risk reduction measures currently in place are sufficient. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5hbVvmRyC4 With an average of over...
In order to foster the bromine ecosystem in India, BSEF together with the India Chemical Council have developed India Bromine Platform (IBP). What is the importance of the platform and what are the benefits of such a platform? Bromine is an essential and versatile chemical that has wide variety of applications contributing to society and economy like flame retardants, mercury emission...
On the 4th of September it took place the 2020 China Antimony Industry Conference in Changde, Hunan Province. Harry Du, Secretary-General of BSEF China, presented the latest updates in the global standards and regulations related to flame retardants. Harry Du made reference to the EU Eco-design regulation and explained that “the EU made a mistake in restricting halogenated flame retardants in...
