The Environment Committee of the European Parliament favours an even stricter threshold for a group of brominated flame retardants in waste than the one proposed by the European Commission. In a vote on the proposed amendment of the POP Regulation at the end of March, the Committee backed a limit of 200 mg/kg for the total content of deca-BDE and four other polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). The Committee also wants the European Commission to consider further reducing this threshold and, if necessary, present a new legislative proposal five years after the amended Regulation enters into force.
The PBDEs classified as persistent organic pollutants (POP) were used in a variety of applications including as flame retardants, and can be found, for example, in the plastic casings of older electrical and electronic equipment. The Commission had proposed reducing the threshold from the current level of 1,000 mg/kg to 500 mg/kg. This reduction is also supported by the EU Council. The new limit would be applied following a six-month transition period after the amended Regulation enters into force....
