Australia to Completely Ban Various Brominated Flame Retardants

Recently, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment, and Water Resources (DCCEEW) in Australia proposed to include several brominated flame retardant chemicals in the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standards (IChEMS) register.

Materials proposed to be included in Appendix 6 of IChEMS (substances that may cause serious or irreversible harm to the environment but have essential industrial uses):

Risk management measures:

• From July 1, 2025, import, export, manufacture, and use (either alone or in mixtures) of these chemicals will be prohibited, except under the following conditions:

a) Presence as unintentional trace contaminants, i.e., the total sum of all non-brominated diphenyl ether isomers or decaBDE is equal to or less than 10 mg/kg；

b) For research or experimental purposes;

c) Holding a relevant hazardous waste import/export permit; 

d) For the following important uses, and according to the relevant risk management measures:

• Used for manufacturing aircraft components until January 1, 2027, or until the end of the aircraft's service life;
• Aircraft (until January 1, 2027);
• Polyurethane foam for thermal insulation in buildings (until January 1, 2027);
• Electrical and electronic equipment (until January 1, 2027);
• Used for manufacturing automobile components before 2019 (until January 1, 2036); and
• Textiles, excluding clothing and toys, requiring flame-resistant properties (until January 1, 2027).

• From July 1, 2025, import, export, manufacture, and use of items containing these chemicals will be prohibited, except under certain conditions:

a) Presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as unavoidable trace contaminants, with a total amount equal to or less than 500 mg/kg;

b) For research or experimental purposes;

c) Holding a relevant hazardous waste import/export permit;

d) Items already in use before July 1, 2025;

e) For the specified important uses listed under d).

Materials proposed to be included in Appendix 7 of IChEMS (substances causing serious or irreversible harm to the environment and without essential industrial uses):

I. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)

Risk management measures:

• From July 1, 2024, import, export, manufacture, and use (either alone or in mixtures) of these chemicals will be prohibited, except under the following conditions:

a) Presence as unintentional trace contaminants, i.e., the total sum of all congeners is equal to or less than 10 mg/kg;

b) For research or experimental purposes; and

c) Holding a relevant hazardous waste import/export permit.

• From July 1, 2024, import, export, manufacture, and use of items containing these chemicals will be prohibited, except under certain conditions:

a) Presence of PBDEs as unavoidable trace contaminants, with a total amount equal to or less than 500 mg/kg;

b) For research or experimental purposes;

c) Holding a relevant hazardous waste import/export permit; and

d) Items already in use before July 1, 2024.

II. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)

Risk management measures:

• From July 1, 2024, import, manufacture, and use (either alone or in mixtures) of these chemicals will be prohibited, except under the following conditions:

a) Presence as unintentional trace contaminants, i.e., the total sum of all congeners is equal to or less than 100 mg/kg;

b) For research or experimental purposes; and

c) Holding a relevant hazardous waste import/export permit.

• From July 1, 2024, import, export, manufacture, and use of items containing these chemicals will be prohibited, except under certain conditions:

a) Presence of HBCDD as unavoidable trace contaminants, with a total amount equal to or less than 100 mg/kg;

b) For research or experimental purposes; and

c) Holding a relevant hazardous waste import/export permit. d) Items already in use before July 1, 2024.

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