Prohibition on introduction of Pentabromodiphenyl Ether

The manufacture and import of pentabromodiphenyl ether (pentaBDE, CAS No. 32534-81-9) is prohibited by the Minister for Health and Ageing* while it remains a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). 

Prohibition of the import and manufacture of the chemical - effective from 6 March 2007 - also applies to mixtures containing pentaBDE.

The prohibition comes in response to studies by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEW) (please see details in next item).

While pentaBDE is not manufactured in Australia and available information indicates that no import has occurred since mid 2005, the regulatory action will ensure future importation of pentaBDE will not occur while it remains a PEC. 

Additionally, while articles containing pentaBDEs may continue to be imported into Australia, the quantity of the chemical in imported articles is expected to decline given international regulatory and voluntary activity. To date the actual sources of PBDEs detected in the Australian studies have not been identified. 

:  to access the NICNAS Interim Public Health Risk Assessment Report on PBDE congeners.
:  to access the NICNAS PBDE Information Sheet (pictured top left).
For more information about this matter, please call
02 8577 8880 or *

*in accordance with section 61 of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989, as amended.

DEW study released

Findings lead to pentaBDE prohibition

The study commissioned by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources (DEW): Assessment of concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants in the Australian population: levels in blood indicates the highest levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Australia were detected in the blood of young children.

Lower levels of PBDEs were found in women of child bearing age. While this does not pose a risk to the women per se, these levels may pose a potential risk of developmental effects in the unborn child, based on extrapolation from results in laboratory rats.

There is no evidence of any adverse health effects in newborns or in children from exposure to PBDEs. However, given that these chemicals have the potential to cause developmental effects in the offspring of treated laboratory rats, NICNAS believes the potential for these effects to occur in humans cannot be ruled out, and it is prudent to adopt a precautionary approach by immediately prohibiting the import and/or manufacture of pentabromodiphenyl ether in Australia. 

:  to access the DEW report (which was released on 6 March 2007)

Please see item above for details of NICNAS's interim risk assessment of pentaBDE - final assessment yet to be completed.

NICNAS collection of data on certain perfluorinated chemicals

PFOS - PFAS - PFOA - PFCA

Sixty-one associations and companies responded to a March 2006 call*  for information on the manufacture, importation and use of:
u perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
u perfluoroalkyl sulfonate (PFAS)
u perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)

and substances related to them, as well as 
products/mixtures containing these substances.

The respondees reported no manufacture of these chemicals
occurs in Australia. Ten importers and two formulators
provided responses indicating import or formulation activities
with PFAS, PFOA and PFCA (perfluorocarboxylic acid)
related substances, while a majority of the responses
indicated that neither importation nor use of PFOS or PFOA
had occurred since the last NICNAS call for information in 2003. 

Summaries of the information collected are published in:

:  NICNAS Alert 5 (PFOS & PFAS)

:  NICNAS Alert 6 (PFOA & PFCA)

* by the Director, NICNAS, under section 48 of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989

Methyldibromo glutaronitrile

Call for information

OECD SIAR chemicals

Recent reports published

A number of Screening Information Data Set Initial Assessment Reports (SIARs), conducted under the OECD's High Production Volume (HPV) Programme have recently been published.

:  to access the list of chemicals (see page 10 of the Chemical Gazette).