Case study on brominated flame retardants in construction and demolition waste plastics

Abstract

The construction sector accounts for approximately 31 % of the market for brominated flame retardants (BFRs), some of which have been phased out under the Stockholm Convention due to their persistence and toxicity. However, due to the longevity of building materials, significant stocks of regulated BFRs likely remain. We reviewed the literature on regulated BFRs, identified product categories likely to contain regulated BFRs, conducted a case study during which we collected nearly 1200 samples from 12 product categories, including previously neglected product categories in that regard, and analyzed their bromine content using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. In 31 % of the samples, bromine was detected, with ∼10 % showing high levels (≥0.5 wt%), indicating the presence of BFRs. In six product categories, bromine was found in ≥20 % of the samples, highlighting the need for bromine-selective sorting technologies to enable safer waste handling, support regulatory compliance and improve recyclability of construction plastics.