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EPA’s Project Plan for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

EPA’s Project Plan for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. Region 2 Science Day Workshop October 25, 2005 Daniel Axelrad U.S. EPA Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation axelrad.daniel@epa.gov. Uses of PBDEs. PentaBDE Foam in furniture, mattresses, automobile seats

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EPA’s Project Plan for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

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  1. EPA’s Project Plan for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Region 2 Science Day Workshop October 25, 2005 Daniel Axelrad U.S. EPA Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation axelrad.daniel@epa.gov

  2. Uses of PBDEs • PentaBDE • Foam in furniture, mattresses, automobile seats • Prior to U.S. phaseout: 8,000 tons/year worldwide; 95% used in the U.S. • OctaBDE • Plastics in electronics • Prior to U.S. phaseout: 4,000 tons/year worldwide; 40% used in U.S. • DecaBDE • Plastics in electronics, wire/cable insulation, textiles • 62,000 tons/year worldwide; 44% used in U.S. (industry data for 2001)

  3. PBDEs Status - U.S. • U.S. production of pentaBDE/octaBDE phased out • TSCA Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) – will require premanufacture notification to EPA • Many initiatives in states, such as: • California 2006 ban on products with penta/octa • New York, Maine and Hawaii have adopted laws similar to California’s, and other states are considering similar actions • CPSC flammability standards for residential upholstered furniture - potential to increase demand for decaBDE and other flame retardants • EPA intends to propose a TSCA SNUR – prior notification to EPA of flame retardants for use in residential upholstered furniture

  4. Activities of Other Federal Agencies • NTP: Conducting toxicology studies of commercial pentaBDE and selected congeners • CDC: Measuring U.S. body burdens of PBDEs • Sampling in 2003-04; data may be available in 2006 • NIST: Studying migration of PBDEs from plastics in electronics components • CPSC: furniture flammability standard • USDA: Methods for measuring PBDEs in meats and poultry; research on PBDEs metabolism • FDA: Planning a program to measure PBDEs in food and feed

  5. Developing EPA’s Project Plan for PBDEs • Workgroup members from across the Agency • Identifies current activities and next steps for PBDEs • What is being done in EPA’s programs • Additional activities to be initiated • Not a detailed strategy • Focus on four objectives • Assess substitutes for pentaBDE/octaBDE • Assess and evaluate decaBDE • Assess risks of pentaBDE and octaBDE • Track other brominated flame retardants

  6. Objective 1: Assess Substitutes for pentaBDE and octaBDE • Background: Market is in transition; industry is choosing alternatives. What are the potential risks of substitutes? • Key Activities include: EPA’s Furniture Flame Retardancy Partnership has conducted a screening level hazard/exposure assessment of pentaBDE substitutes. The Partnership will develop a process for identifying and developing data needed to assess potential risks of flame retardant chemicals used in furniture. http://www.epa.gov/dfe/projects/flameret/index.htm

  7. Objective 2: Assess and Evaluate Decabromodiphenyl Ether (decaBDE) • Background: Use of decaBDE continues. Key issues include risk from decaBDE itself and its contribution to formation of lower-brominated breakdown products. • Key Activities include: • IRIS review of decaBDE toxicology – completion in 2006 • Through the Voluntary Children’s Chemical Evaluation Program (VCCEP), EPA is seeking the development of data needed to address the environmental fate of decaBDE. http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/vccep/chem21.htm • CPSC furniture flammability standard would potentially increase demand for decaBDE. EPA intends to will propose a TSCA SNUR that will enable EPA to review decaBDE (and other flame retardants) in this use before use begins.

  8. Objective 3: Assess Risks of pentaBDE and octaBDE • Background: Voluntary phaseout of US production of pentaBDE and octaBDE as of the end of 2004; stocks are stored in existing products. • Key Activities include: • EPA proposed a TSCA SNUR in Fall 2004, enabling EPA to receive advance notification of plans to manufacture or import pentaBDE or octaBDE. • EPA is conducting IRIS reviews for tetra-, penta-, and hexaBDE congeners - completion in 2006. • Under VCCEP, EPA has identified 2-generation reproductive toxicity studies as data needs for pentaBDE and octaBDE. http://www.epa.gov/chemrtk/vccep/chem22.htm

  9. Objective 4: Track Developments Concerning Other BFRs of Interest • Background: PBDEs are not the only BFRs of potential interest. • Key Activities include: • EPA will review scientific developments on other brominated flame retardants, and will engage in further research, risk assessment and risk management as the need develops. • EPA will continue to scrutinize new flame retardants proposed for manufacture and import into the U.S. market and, where appropriate, will seek development of additional data on such chemicals by their manufacturers under TSCA Section 5 authorities.

  10. Next Steps • Complete drafting and review of Project Plan • Release plan on EPA web site – projected for December 2005 http://www.epa.gov/oppt/pbde/ • Implement Key Activities identified in the plan

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