Halogenated flame retardants in Irish waste polymers: Concentrations, legislative compliance, and preliminary assessment of temporal trends

Author(s)

Drage, Daniel ; Sharkey, Martin ; Al-Omran, Layla Salih ; Stubbings, William A. ; Berresheim, Harald ; Coggins, Marie ; Rosa, Andre Henrique ; Harrad, Stuart

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Environmental Pollution; v. 309, p. 8-pg., 2022-07-20.

Abstract

Halogenated flame retardants (HFRs) were measured in 470 waste plastic articles from Ireland between 2019 and 2020. We identified articles containing concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hex-abromocyclododecane (HBCDD), and tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A) exceeding European Union limits. Enforcement of existing limits of 1000 mg/kg will render an estimated 3.1% (2800 t) of articles in the waste categories studied unrecyclable, increasing to: 4.0, 4.9, and 5.6% if limits were reduced to 500, 200, and 100 mg/ kg respectively. Meanwhile, enforcing limits of 1,000, 500, 200, and 100 mg/kg will respectively remove 78, 82, 84, and 85% of PBDEs, HBCDD, and TBBP-A present in such waste. Other FRs targeted were detected infre-quently and predominantly at very low concentrations. However, 2,4,6-tris(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine (TTBP-TAZ) was detected in 3 display/IT product samples at 14,000 to 32,000 mg/kg, indicating elevated concentrations of FRs used as alternatives to PBDEs and HBCDD, will likely increase in future. Com-parison with data for Ireland in 2015-16, revealed concentrations and exceedances of limits for PBDEs, HBCDD, and TBBP-A were similar or have declined. For end-of-life vehicle fabrics and foams, HBCDD and sigma PBDE con-centrations declined significantly (p < 0.05) since 2015-16. Moreover, sigma PBDE concentrations in waste small domestic appliances are significantly lower in 2019-20, with a similarly significant decline for TBBP-A in waste IT and telecommunications articles. In contrast, HBCDD concentrations in waste extruded polystyrene increased significantly between 2015-16 and 2019-20. For other waste categories studied, no statistically significant temporal trends are evident (p > 0.05). Fewer samples exceeded PBDE and HBCDD limits in 2019-20 (7.8%) than 2015-16 (8.7%), while exceedances for TBBP-A fell from 2.4% in 2015-16 to 0.57% in 2019-20. While comparison between the 2015-16 and 2019-20 datasets provide a preliminary indication of changes, further monitoring is required if the impact of legislation designed to eliminate HFRs from the waste stream is to be fully evaluated. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/06800-5 - Screening of persistent organic pollutants emerging in the waste stream: emphasis on brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs)
• Grantee: André Henrique Rosa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• FAPESP's process: 22/00985-6 - Presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in solid waste and their impact for implementing a circular economy
• Grantee: André Henrique Rosa
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants