The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a press release this week saying it would begin assessments on 23 commonly used chemicals, including some flame retardants, in order to fully understand their health and environmental effects.
The North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFRA) is encouraged that EPA has undertaken an initial screening of a number of flame retardants and determined that 50 are “unlikely to pose a risk to human health.”
We are pleased to see that EPA recognizes that there are flame retardants with good health and safety profiles that can be used safely. Flame retardants have been used for decades as an important layer of fire protection that helps prevent and delay the spread of fire.
We have a long history of working closely with the agency, and we will continue to do so. We look forward to learning more about EPA’s new round of assessments and how our members will be able to contribute to this effort.