FRX Innovations, a US-based leader in eco-friendly flame retardant solutions, has announced that its Nofia product line will benefit from the decision of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to name three common flame retardants as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). This designation brings stringent disclosure and notification requirements.

Specifically, if a product contains more than 0.1 per cent of a newly classified SVHC Chemical, customers must be notified within six months of such a classification. Being listed as an SVHC Chemical usually catalyses the industry to quickly remove it from articles, even in advance of a process called Authorisation, which is the complete banning of such a chemical in uses other than those specifically authorised by the regulator. One of the three SVHC chemicals is TBBPA, which is the most-used brominated flame retardant. Melamine has also been designated an SVHC, according to a press release by FRX Innovations.

“This will lead to a rapid phase-out of its use in additional applications not already covered by the European Union and US banning brominated flame retardants in electronic display devices such as TVs and monitors. The additional applications include textile coatings and many uses of the popular plastic ABS such as in consumer electronics through to larger medical equipment such as MRI machines, and, in many cases, our Nofia flame retardants are the ideal alternative solution,” said Marc Lebel, CEO of FRX Innovations.

“Melamine is commonly used as a flame retardant in a range of products, most notably polyurethane foam for mattresses and furniture. Formulations containing melamine can be replaced by Nofia. These are exciting times with many new opportunities arising for FRX. We’re working with over 20 different companies now to replace harmful legacy flame retardants with new, greener alternatives. We expect our first sales into foam mattresses by this summer,” added Lebel.