A Class Approach to Hazard Assessment of Organohalogen Flame Retardants

In the 1970s, flame retardants began to be added to synthetic materials to meet strict flammability standards. Over the years, diverse flame retardants have been manufactured and used in various products. Some flame retardants have migrated out of the products, and this has led to widespread human exposure and environmental contamination. There also is mounting evidence that many flame retardants are associated with adverse human health effects. As a result, some flame retardants have been banned, restricted, or voluntarily phased out of production and use. This publication develops a scientifically based scoping plan to assess additive, nonpolymeric organohalogen flame retardants as a class for potential chronic health hazards under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, including cancer, birth defects, and gene mutations. Table of Contents Front Matter Summary 1 Introduction 2 Hazard Assessment Scoping Plan 3 A Class Approach to Evaluating Organohalogen Flame Retardants: Case Studies Appendix A: Biographic Information on the Committee to Develop a Scoping Plan to Assess the Hazards of Organohalogen Flame Retardants Appendix B: Methodologic Details of Analyses to Evaluate Feasibility of Class Approach and to Define Subclasses Appendix C: Methodologic Details of Literature Surveys and Searches Appendix D: Summary of Zebrafish Studies