NTP Review of Halogenated Flame Retardants
Substance Overview
Halogenated flame retardants encompass a large group of bromine or chlorine-containing chemicals that all share a similar function (i.e., fire retardation). Apart from containing one or more halogens, these chemicals can significantly differ in their physical, structural, and chemical properties.
Status:
Cancer: Cancer hazard evaluation for potential listing in the Report on Carcinogens (RoC)
Primary Uses or Exposures
- Halogenated flame retardants have been applied to numerous products, including furniture, mattresses, carpets, electronic devices, building and construction materials, and transportation products.
- Exposure to halogenated flame retardants can occur through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal routes.
- Halogenated flame retardants are widely detected in human biological sampling due to continued exposure to contaminated product, their persistence in the environment, long half-lives in humans, and an expanded list of replacement flame retardant chemicals.
- Certain occupations, including firefighting, manufacturing, construction, and service industries, may be exposed to higher concentrations of halogenated flame retardants than the general population.
Documents
| Date | Document |
|---|---|
| Oct 7, 2015 | Federal Register notice requesting public comment on nominated substances |
Note on Accessibility: Persons with disabilities or using assistive technology may find some documents are not fully accessible. For assistance, email us or use our contact form and identify the documents/pages for which access is required. We will assist you in accessing the content of these files. NIEHS has helpful information on accessibility.