Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs)

The Australian government has released their studies into a group of BFRs, called Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs)

The reports can be downloaded at Department of Environment and Heritage website

The reports in summary :

PBDEs were detected in all samples of indoor and outdoor air:
Indoor air had a range of 0.5 -179 pg/m3 for homes and 15 - 487 pg/m3 for offices.

PBDEs were also detected in all dust samples with a concentration ranged from 87 - 3070 ng/g dust.

PBDEs were detected on 9 out of 10 surfaces sampled. The surfaces sampled represented televisions, refrigerators, stereos and DVD players.

PBDEs were detected in sediment samples from 35 of 46 sites and with concentration ranging from non-detect to 60900 pg.g-1 dry weight.

PBDEs were also detected in blood with the highest levels of PBDEs found in young children. The reports acknowledge that Australians have twice the level of PBDEs in their blood as their European counterparts with the highest concentrations in children under four. A 2005 study of breastmilk showed similar high levels of PBDE contamination.
The risk assessment indicated a potential risk of neurodevelopmental effects in the offspring from maternal exposure, based on results from laboratory animals.

As a result of the risk assessment, the regulator is adopting a precautionary approach by immediately prohibiting the import and/or manufacture of pentaBDE in Australia. OctaBDE is already prohibited. However, this ban does not extend to imported products which incorporate or are treated with PBDEs.


NTN support calls for a detailed assessment of the exposure of PBDEs to young children. We also call on the government to ensure no more contaminated products enter Australia and to actively support an international ban on these chemicals.


Information on alternatives are available from the Safer Products website



Toxic TVs, Poisonous PCs

Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) are used to prevent combustion and/or retard the spread of flames in a variety of products including: plastics for computer casing; televisions; mobile phones; white goods; car interiors, as well as reusable food and drink containers; carpets and polyurethane foams in furniture/bedding.

Brominated Flame retardants have been found in human blood, liver and
adipose tissue, and in breast milk. One form of Brominated Flame retardants, PBDEs or polybrominated diphenyl ethers have been shown to disrupt thyroid hormones and are linked to cancer and reproductive damage.

Household Dust

BFRs have been found in the dust of homes, schools and offices raising new concerns about potential health risks, particularly to young children. [1] Toddlers who crawl on the floor and have a lot of hand to mouth activity, generally have a far greater exposure to household dust than adults. We know that these chemicals effect a child's development and may also place them at greater risk of cancer.[2]

Breastmilk testing in Australia

A study commissioned by the Australian Government, published by the
Environment Protection Council of Australia and New Zealand in January 2005 showed that the levels of the brominated flame retardants, the
polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in women's breast milk is 5 times higher than those observed in Europe and Japan. [3]

Collected and tested pooled samples from 20 urban and rural areas around Australia revealed concentrations ranging from a minimum of 6.0 ng g-1 lipid detected in the Tasmanian pool sample to a maximum of 18 ng g-1 in the rural NSW sample. For further information go to
www.oztoxics.org/ntn/breastmilk.html

In 2003, more than 9000 blood samples were collected in Australia to
evaluate PBDE concentrations in 31-45 year olds. The results indicated
levels of PBDEs in the Australian population twice that of the UK.

PBDE's banned across Europe

European countries have prohibited the sale of products that contain two groups of PBDEs. The EU is also drafting new laws, that set a world
standard, to better control chemical cocktails in flame retardants. However, Australia continues to import manufactured goods contaminated with PBDEs.

The World Health Organisation has recommended that PDBEs should not be used but instead they should be substituted for the safe alternatives that are available.

Stockholm Convention on Persitent Organic Pollutants

Two types of PBDEs have been nominated for inclusion in the Stockholm Convention which could result in an international ban on these chemicals.

The Australian government must actively support these nominations.



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[1]McPheron, Thorpe & Blake, Brominated Flame Retardants in Dust on
Computers, June 2004 reports on 'wipe samples' taken from computers which found toxic PBDE residues in every sample.
[2]Santillo, Labunska et al, Consuming Chemicals, Univeristy of Exeter,
April 2003 reports on hazardous chemicals in UK house dust as an indicator of chemical exposure in the home.
[3] Haarden, Muller and Toms, OCPs and PBDEs in the Australian population: Levels in Human Milk, Jan 2005  "