Swedes lead way with chemical ban

By Roger Falk

Date: 13/05/04

THE Swedish government has officially displayed its impatience with the slow pace of EU decision-making in the health and environment fields. After years of pressing for EU-wide bans on brominated flame retardants, the Swedes are now preparing to move ahead with national bans.

Brominated flame retardants are used in products such as furniture, computers and textiles to increase their resistance to fire. They are suspected of causing health and environment risks, and for this reason the substances pentaBDE and octaBDE will be banned in the EU from August 2004.

But Lena Sommestad, Sweden's environment minister, stated last Thursday that she also wants a third substance from the same group banned: deca-BDE. If the EU does not act, then Sweden will ban it nationally, she says: "We know that deca-BDE is a persistent substance that spreads in the environment. The best thing would be an EU-wide ban, but as things are moving this slowly we must now push the issue ourselves."

The EU's scientific assessment of deca-BDE has been delegated to UK authorities, as part of a routine 'rotational' scheme. UK scientists presented a preliminary risk assessment almost five years ago. A strategy for risk reduction is due to be proposed this month.

If the strategy does not satisfy the Swedish government and the supporting Left and Green parties, a national ban may follow shortly. Sommestad has already instructed the Swedish national chemicals inspectorate to work out the details. Trade can hardly be restricted due to EU internal market rules, but the Swedes look to ban the use of deca-BDE in national production. Major Swedish companies such as furniture giant Ikea and builders Skanska are not expected to object, as they are already well into a phase-out of harmful flame retardants from their production.

Other substances are set to be targeted next. According to Sommestad, Sweden will move on to ban flame retardants HBCD and TBBPA if the EU has not done so by autumn 2006 at the latest.

• Roger Falk is a Brussels-based freelance journalist.

If the European Union does not act to ban deca-BDE, a flame-retardant chemical, then Sweden will act to ban it nationally. The fire retardants pentaBDE and octaBDE, which are used in products such as furniture, computers and textiles, will be banned in the EU from August 2004.