WASHINGTON (November 19, 2021) – The American Chemistry Council’s (ACC) North American Flame Retardant Alliance (NAFRA) issued the following statement in response to the Draft Regulatory Determinations Report to the Legislature from the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding its implementation of Safer Products for Washington.
“NAFRA is deeply disappointed by the Department of Ecology’s Draft Regulatory Determinations Report, part of which proposes restricting the use of organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) in plastic device casings for electrical and electronic equipment. Safety is a top priority for our industry, and we believe consumers deserve to have confidence in the products they purchase. Ecology’s proposed restrictions would apply to numerous electronic and household items, including but not limited to televisions, laptops, mobile phones, kitchen appliances, washing machines, irons, and hair dryers.
“No state, federal, or international regulatory authority has proposed or implemented a ban on flame retardants in electronics as broad as the one being considered in Washington, making the state an outlier. Such a regulation would potentially decrease the availability of electronic and electrical products for purchase in the state and potentially increase the fire risk posed by the products that are available. Electronic casings present unique fire risks and restricting the use of flame retardants in electric and electronic enclosures could undermine overall product safety and performance.
“The Department of Ecology’s approach for regulating OFRs goes against the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that this diverse group of chemicals cannot be treated as a single class for purposes of assessment.[1] The best available science should be used in developing regulations to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach that is neither scientifically accurate, nor appropriate."
We remain committed to working with the Washington State Department of Ecology and all stakeholders to help ensure fire protection and chemical safety.
[1] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2019. A Class Approach to Hazard Assessment of Organohalogen Flame Retardants. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25412.
