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Investigation of brominated flame retardants present in articles being used, recycled and disposed of in New Zealand

• Executive Summary
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Estimate of the amount of BDE in New Zealand
• 3. Assessment of the fate of BDEs in waste
• 4. Profile of BDE flows in New Zealand
• 5. Risk analysis
• 6. Environmentally sound disposal methods
• 7. Limitations of the study
• 8. Conclusions and Recommendations
• Additional readings
• Appendix A Detailed data tables
• Appendix B Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) structure and physical properties
• Appendix C Analytical equipment and procedures
• Appendix D Certificate of analysis
• Appendix E Methods and analysis of consumer products
• Appendix F Calculating the % BDE present in consumer products
• Appendix G Details of the selected landfills and the sampling of leachate
• Appendix H Current status of the flame retardant industry
• Appendix I Non-dust sources of BDEs more prominent human intake
• Appendix J Completed Questionnaire SC-4/19 for submission of information on new POPs in accordance with SC-4/19
• Appendix L Questionnaire for organisations that manufacture articles containing BFR’s
• Appendix M Excel spreadsheet entitled ‘XRF analyser raw data’
• Appendix N Excel spreadsheets entitled ‘NZ Statistics data giving categories with raw data’

8. Conclusions and Recommendations

1. Compiling an inventory of products containing brominated flame retardants imported, in-use, exported and disposed of in New Zealand is feasible.
2. Given adequate resources the inventory could be reasonably accurate. The current investigation and volumes estimated should be seen as a first approach.
3. It is recommended that the findings of this study be validated for commercial and industrial goods and a wider range of consumer product categories.
4. The information reviewed about the fate and transport of BDEs indicates that highly brominated BDE species (e.g. deca) break down in the environment to lower brominated species having bioaccumulative and toxic characteristics.
5. Landfilling in the New Zealand situation is a well developed and controlled activity and is the means used routinely to dispose of most of the non recycled waste generated in New Zealand, including waste plastics. Compared to the quantities of BDE-containing polymers / plastics disposed to (stored in) landfills, the quantity of BDEs leaving the landfill in leachate is infinitesimal.  The very low levels of BDEs detected in the leachate of the landfills tested are regarded as de minimis.  Landfilling in secure landfills is therefore supported as an environmentally sound way to dispose of BDE-containing polymers / plastics.
6. It is recommended that the landfill BDE leachate findings of this study be validated for the three landfills tested and for a representative sample of other landfills.

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