The use of certain flame retardants that are particularly problematic for human beings and the environment is completely prohibited. For other flame retardants, specific restrictions apply, for example in the case of clothing textiles, and for this reason the regulations governing the use of flame retardants are laid down in different annexes of the Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance.
Legal basis
1. Main provisions and considerations
- For the implementation of the resolution of the Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), hexabromocyclodecane (HBCDD) and substances that contain HBCDD must not be manufactured, placed on the market and used. In addition, placing new articles on the market is prohibited if they or their components contain HBCDD.
- For the implementation of the resolution of the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, the following polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and substances and preparations that contain the cited PBDEs, must not be manufactured, placed on the market and used if the PBDE content exceeds 0.001%:
- Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (tetraBDE)
- Pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE)
- Hexabromodiphenyl ether (hexaBDE)
- Heptabromodiphenyl ether (heptaBDE)
It is also prohibited to place new products on the market if they or their components contain more than 0.001% of the cited PBDEs. - For the implementation of the resolution of the Eights Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, decabromobiphenyl ether (decaBDE) and substances and preparations that contain decaBDE, must not be manufactured, placed on the market and used. It is also prohibited to bring new products onto the market if they contain decaBDE not merely as an unavoidable impurity.
- For the implementation of the resolution of the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), and in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, hexabromobiphenyl (HBB) and substances and preparations that contain HBB, must not be manufactured, placed on the market and used. It is also prohibited to bring new products onto the market if they contain HBB.
- For PBDEs and HBB in the components of electrical and electronic equipment, the provisions of Annex 2.18 are applicable.
- In line with the provisions in Annex XVII of the REACH Ordinance, textiles that may directly or indirectly come into contact with the skin must not be placed on the market if they contain tri(2,3-dibromopropyl-)phosphate or tri(aziridinal-)phosphine oxide.
2. Exemptions
The prohibitions do not apply:
- for analysis and research purposes;
- for preparations and products partly or completely manufactured from recycled materials, or from materials derived from wastes pre-treated for recycling purposes, provided their content by weight of tetraBDE, pentaBDE, hexaBDE and heptaBDE does not exceed 0.1%;
- for the placing on the market of aircraft containing decaBDE and their components;
- for the placing on the market of components containing decaBDE for the repair of motor vehicles;
- for the handling of decaBDE for the manufacture of the above-mentioned components.
Further information
Documents
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Stoffflüsse im Schweizer Elektronikschrott, 2017Substance flows in Swiss e-waste (Summary) Metals, non-metals, flame retardants and polychlorinated biphenyls in electrical and electronic devices.
Verbaute Dämmungen EPS/XPS (PDF, 1 MB, 02.02.2015)Studie zu Hexabromcyclododecan-haltigen Dämmstoffen im Baubereich im Auftrag des BAFU
Last modification 06.09.2023
