Decabromodiphenyl ether

===Neurological effects===

===Neurological effects===

EPA has determined that daily Deca exposures should be less than 7 μg/kg-d (micrograms per kilogram bodyweight per day) to minimize the chance of brain and nervous system toxicity.<ref>EPA. 2008. Final Integrated Risk Information System Assessment for Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209). Available: [https://web.archive.org/web/20080716001451/http://www.epa.gov/ncea/iris/subst/0035.htm]</ref> EPA based their assessment on a study in 2003 on neurotoxicity in mice, which some have "criticized for certain procedural and statistical problems."<ref name=IL2006/> A 2007 study in mice "suggest[ed] that decaBDE is a developmental neurotoxicant that can produce long-term behavioral changes following a discrete period of neonatal exposure."<ref name=Rice2007>{{cite journal |vauthors=Rice DC, Reeve EA, Herlihy A, Zoeller RT, Thompson WD, Markowski VP |title=Developmental delays and locomotor activity in the C57BL6/J mouse following neonatal exposure to the {{Sic|hide=y|fully|-}}brominated PBDE, decabromodiphenyl ether |journal=Neurotoxicol Teratol |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=511–20 |year=2007 |pmid=17482428 |doi=10.1016/j.ntt.2007.03.061 }}</ref> Administration of decaBDE to male rats at 3 days of age in another 2007 study "was shown to disrupt normal spontaneous behaviour at 2 months of age."<ref name=Viberg2007>{{cite journal |vauthors=Viberg H, Fredriksson A, Eriksson P |title=Changes in spontaneous behaviour and altered response to nicotine in the adult rat, after neonatal exposure to the brominated flame retardant, decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE 209) |journal=Neurotoxicology |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=136–42 |date=January 2007 |pmid=17030062 |doi=10.1016/j.neuro.2006.08.006 }}</ref>

EPA has determined that daily Deca exposures should be less than 7 μg/kg-d (micrograms per kilogram bodyweight per day) to minimize the chance of brain and nervous system toxicity.<ref>EPA. 2008. Final Integrated Risk Information System Assessment for Decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209). Available: [https://web.archive.org/web/20080716001451/http://www.epa.gov/ncea/iris/subst/0035.htm]</ref> EPA based its assessment on a study in 2003 on neurotoxicity in mice, which some have "criticized for certain procedural and statistical problems."<ref name=IL2006/> A 2007 study in mice "suggest[ed] that decaBDE is a developmental neurotoxicant that can produce long-term behavioral changes following a discrete period of neonatal exposure."<ref name=Rice2007>{{cite journal |vauthors=Rice DC, Reeve EA, Herlihy A, Zoeller RT, Thompson WD, Markowski VP |title=Developmental delays and locomotor activity in the C57BL6/J mouse following neonatal exposure to the {{Sic|hide=y|fully|-}}brominated PBDE, decabromodiphenyl ether |journal=Neurotoxicol Teratol |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=511–20 |year=2007 |pmid=17482428 |doi=10.1016/j.ntt.2007.03.061 }}</ref> Administration of decaBDE to male rats at 3 days of age in another 2007 study "was shown to disrupt normal spontaneous behaviour at 2 months of age."<ref name=Viberg2007>{{cite journal |vauthors=Viberg H, Fredriksson A, Eriksson P |title=Changes in spontaneous behaviour and altered response to nicotine in the adult rat, after neonatal exposure to the brominated flame retardant, decabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE 209) |journal=Neurotoxicology |volume=28 |issue=1 |pages=136–42 |date=January 2007 |pmid=17030062 |doi=10.1016/j.neuro.2006.08.006 }}</ref>

==Overall risks and benefits==

==Overall risks and benefits==

===United States===

===United States===

As of mid-2007 two states had instituted measures to phase out decaBDE. In April 2007 the state of [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]] passed a law banning the manufacture, sale, and use of decaBDE in mattresses as of 2008; the ban "could be extended to TVs, computers and upholstered residential furniture in 2011 provided an alternative flame retardant is approved."<ref name=Stiffler2007April>Stiffler, Lisa. [http://www.seattlepi.com/local/311845_pbdes17.html Chemical ban puts industry on the defensive.] ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'', April 16, 2007.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ecy.wa.gov/laws-rules/leg_imp/2007/1024.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402122352/http://www.ecy.wa.gov/laws-rules/leg_imp/2007/1024.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In June 2007 the state of [[Maine]] passed a law "ban[ning] the use of deca-BDE in mattresses and furniture on January 1, 2008 and phas[ing] out its use in televisions and other plastic-cased electronics by January 1, 2010."<ref name=NRCM2007>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100521060218/http://www.nrcm.org/news_detail.asp?news=1568 Maine Legislature votes to ban toxic Deca flame retardant.] [[Natural Resources Council of Maine]], May 24th, 2007.</ref><ref name=MaineDemos2007>Maine House Democrats. [http://www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/news/deca_bill_signed_into_law%20.htm Governor signs deca ban bill into law: State will require phase-out of the flame retardant in household items.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630002226/http://www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/news/deca_bill_signed_into_law%20.htm |date=2007-06-30 }} June 14, 2007.</ref> As of 2007, other states considering restrictions on decaBDE include California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,<ref>[https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0651&ssn=0&y=2007 SF0651 Status in Senate for Legislative Session 85<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Montana, New York, and Oregon.<ref name=Stiffler2007March/><ref name=NCEL2007>[http://www.ncel.net/newsmanager/news_article.cgi?news_id=175 Maine Joins Washington, Bans PBDEs.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070802103637/http://ncel.net/newsmanager/news_article.cgi?news_id=175 |date=2007-08-02 }} Washington, DC: National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, June 18, 2007.</ref>

As of mid-2007 two states had instituted measures to phase out decaBDE. In April 2007, the state of [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]] passed a law banning the manufacture, sale, and use of decaBDE in mattresses as of 2008; the ban "could be extended to TVs, computers, and upholstered residential furniture in 2011 provided an alternative flame retardant is approved."<ref name=Stiffler2007April>Stiffler, Lisa. [http://www.seattlepi.com/local/311845_pbdes17.html Chemical ban puts industry on the defensive.] ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer'', April 16, 2007.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ecy.wa.gov/laws-rules/leg_imp/2007/1024.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2012-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402122352/http://www.ecy.wa.gov/laws-rules/leg_imp/2007/1024.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In June 2007, the state of [[Maine]] passed a law "ban[ning] the use of deca-BDE in mattresses and furniture on January 1, 2008 and phas[ing] out its use in televisions and other plastic-cased electronics by January 1, 2010."<ref name=NRCM2007>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100521060218/http://www.nrcm.org/news_detail.asp?news=1568 Maine Legislature votes to ban toxic Deca flame retardant.] [[Natural Resources Council of Maine]], May 24th, 2007.</ref><ref name=MaineDemos2007>Maine House Democrats. [http://www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/news/deca_bill_signed_into_law%20.htm Governor signs deca ban bill into law: State will require phase-out of the flame retardant in household items.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630002226/http://www.maine.gov/legis/housedems/news/deca_bill_signed_into_law%20.htm |date=2007-06-30 }} June 14, 2007.</ref> As of 2007, other states considering restrictions on decaBDE include California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,<ref>[https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/revisor/pages/search_status/status_detail.php?b=Senate&f=SF0651&ssn=0&y=2007 SF0651 Status in Senate for Legislative Session 85<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Montana, New York, and Oregon.<ref name=Stiffler2007March/><ref name=NCEL2007>[http://www.ncel.net/newsmanager/news_article.cgi?news_id=175 Maine Joins Washington, Bans PBDEs.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070802103637/http://ncel.net/newsmanager/news_article.cgi?news_id=175 |date=2007-08-02 }} Washington, DC: National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, June 18, 2007.</ref>

On December 17, 2009, as the result of negotiations with EPA, the two U.S. producers of decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), Albemarle Corporation and Chemtura Corporation, and the largest U.S. importer, ICL Industrial Products, Inc., announced commitments to phase out voluntarily decaBDE in the United States by the end of 2013.<ref>http://www.albemarle.com/?news=text&releaseID=1367378 {{Bare URL inline|date=July 2025}}</ref><ref>http://phoenix.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68079&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1367410&highlight {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119061747/http://phoenix.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68079&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1367410&highlight |date=2016-01-19}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110713001745/http://www.icl-ip.com/Brome/Brome.nsf/viewAllByUNID/6E5934724F9A52BEC22576930042E95A/%24file/Press_Release.pdf], [https://web.archive.org/web/20100118092730/http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/actionplans/deccadbe.html]</ref>

On December 17, 2009, as the result of negotiations with EPA, the two U.S. producers of decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE), Albemarle Corporation and Chemtura Corporation, and the largest U.S. importer, ICL Industrial Products, Inc., announced commitments to phase out voluntarily decaBDE in the United States by the end of 2013.<ref>http://www.albemarle.com/?news=text&releaseID=1367378 {{Bare URL inline|date=July 2025}}</ref><ref>http://phoenix.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68079&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1367410&highlight {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160119061747/http://phoenix.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=68079&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1367410&highlight |date=2016-01-19}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110713001745/http://www.icl-ip.com/Brome/Brome.nsf/viewAllByUNID/6E5934724F9A52BEC22576930042E95A/%24file/Press_Release.pdf], [https://web.archive.org/web/20100118092730/http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/actionplans/deccadbe.html]</ref>