Great Lakes Chemical to phase out production of two flame retardants

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Nov. 4)—Great Lakes Chemical Corp. voluntarily will phase out production of penta- and octa-polybrominated diphenyl ether, both commonly used flame retardants, by the end of 2004, Great Lakes and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have announced. Replacing penta- and octa-PBDE will be Firemaster 550, a proprietary blend that is safer environmentally and can be used in sneakers, bed padding, packaging foams and other applications, said Angelo Brisimitzakis, Great Lakes executive vice president for flame retardants and brominated performance products. Great Lakes began working on a replacement for penta- and octa-PBDE about five years ago when the EPA first expressed concerns about their persistence in the environment, Brisimitzakis said. The company will continue to make deca-PBDE, which doesn't have the problems of penta- and octa-PBDE with persistence and bioaccumulation, he added.