The Bromine Science and Environmental Forum
(BSEF) is turning the tables on
Greenpeace, questioning the
environmental group's comments on the use of brominated flame
retardants (BFR) in electronics.
Greenpeace has been targeting electronics manufacturers that use
BFRs for fire prevention in their products, including Apple and
Microsoft. BSEF claims that such targeting, however, is
irresponsible as BFRs discourage the fire danger electronics can
pose if they overheat.
"In a recent update of its report Guide to Greener Electronics,
Greenpeace attacked several major electronics producers for not
moving fast enough to reduce their use of certain chemicals,
including flame retardants. However, the substances Greenpeace
seeks to eliminate are all approved for use, and provide critical
performance and safety functions in a wide range of electronic
products.
Among the substances attacked by Greenpeace are brominated flame
retardants, which are commonly used in electronics to provide a
high-level fire safety. In certain applications, they are the most
effective, efficient products available," BSEF said in a statement
this week.
Fires started by electronics were brought to issue this year
when several battery makers recalled lithium-ion laptop and cell
phone batteries that were overheating, causing fires and in some
cases exploding, severely disrupting the electronics supply chain
and power market.
BSEF noted in its statement that in 2005, Microsoft was forced
to recall 14.1 million power cords for its Xbox game console
because they were thought to be a fire hazard. The company reported
that 30 customers reported fire damage, seven Xbox users suffered
burned hands, and 23 reported other damages from fires.
However, the group pointed out that in Europe and the United
States, thousands of people are killed every year as a result of
domestic fires, many of which are started by or involve consumer
electronics.
"It is critical that consumer electronics be fire safe, and
brominated flame retardants are a very effective, proven way to
provide that protection," said Michael Spiegelstein, chairman of
BSEF, in the statement. "It is irresponsible and dangerous for
Greenpeace to simply propose eliminating these products without
proposing equally safe and proven replacements."
The group exampled two BFRs commonly used in electronic devices:
TBBPA and Deca-BDE. A recent risk assessment conducted by the
European Union concluded that TBBPA, widely used in printed circuit
boards, is safe for continued use and presents no health risk,
according to BSEF.
Deca-BDE, meanwhile, is used to protect the plastic components
of electronic devices from the risks of fire and has also been
evaluated under an EU risk assessment, which concluded that it did
not present any risk to human health or to the environment under
current conditions of manufacturing and use, the group said.
Greenpeace has also specifically targeted the Apple iPhone in
its
recent reports. According to the environmental group, tests run
in the United Kingdom have revealed the iPhone contains two types
of hazardous substances - toxic brominated compounds, indicating
the presence of BFRs, and hazardous polyvinyl chloride (PVC) -
which have already been eliminated by other mobile phone
makers.
BSEF has responded to those claims, pointing out that all of the
substances reported by Greenpeace, including the BFRs noted, are
approved for use and provide critical performance and safety
functions in a wide range of electronic products.
"The Greenpeace report does not say which BFRs are present in
the iPhone because it does not know," BSEF said in a separate
statement. "The report speculates about what substances might be
present, and raises an alarm without any basis for doing so. Even
according to the Greenpeace study, the iPhone complies with all EU
regulatory requirements.
The brominated flame retardant most likely used in the iPhone is
actually a reactive - i.e. it reacts with other substances to form
a plastic and, once reacted, it is also no longer available to the
environment. Therefore, the Greenpeace report is incorrect in its
assertions about the potential for releases to the
environment."
BSEF maintained that as a result of the EU's WEEE directive,
printed circuit boards, such as those used in the iPhone, are
separated out before being recycled in large part because they
contain significant amounts of precious metals.
"Greenpeace offers no constructive alternative for providing
fire safety in electronic equipment and fails to note that BFRs are
among the most tested and well-known flame retardants currently
available. While alternative substances do exist, none are as well
known or as well tested. Given this critical public safety
function, common sense supports using substances that are already
compliant with existing regulations, such as REACH and WEEE, rather
than using untested or unknown 'alternatives,'" BSEF said.
By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News - Electronic News
See also: Electronics Weekly's
WEEE Directive In Full
Force, a roundup of content related to the Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment regulations, and a
RoHS special, on
the European Directive regarding 'Restriction of Hazardous
Substances'.