Free webinar: The regulations, implications and what you can do about plastics in electronics
Watch the webinar recording below:
Regulators and markets around the world are increasingly restricting organohalogen flame retardants for use in electronics.
The repercussions for the continued use of plastics in certain applications are alarming and, unless action is taken, could result in the elimination of plastic as an option.
In this 30-minute free webinar, Michael Kirschner (President of Design Chain Associates) and Lauren Heine (Director of Safer Materials and Data Integrity at MaterialWise) discussed the regulations, the long-term implications and what you – and the electronics industry – can and should be doing about this potential outcome.
Background
Back in 2015, a coalition of consumer advocates and medical associations petitioned the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ban nonpolymeric, additive organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) from children’s products, upholstered furniture, mattresses and plastic electronic casings. The petitioners argued that the full class of substances is toxic and poses a risk to consumers.
The CPSC needs to decide if a ban is warranted, but because of the complexities of addressing a full class of chemicals, it tapped the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to develop a scoping plan for conducting a hazard assessment.
In May 2019, the National Academies released its report which backs a class-based approach as the "only possible practical" one for addressing organohalogen flame retardants. The outcome of this process could have a significant impact on the use of plastics in electronics – and OFRs are increasingly being restricted around the world.
Speakers:
- Michael Kirschner, President, Design Chain Associates
- Lauren Heine, PhD, Director of Safer Materials and Data Integrity, MaterialWise